49ers: 5 best players to spend only one season with San Francisco
No. 3: Wide Receiver Emmanuel Sanders — with 49ers in 2019
Right before the trade deadline in the 2019 season, the 49ers made a move to bring wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to the team. The Denver Broncos traded Sanders along with a 2020 fifth-round pick to the 49ers for a 2020 third-round pick and a fourth-round pick.
He brought with him the experience of three 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons, one season of 100-plus receptions, two Pro Bowl selections, and a Super Bowl ring.
On an already-loaded 2019 49ers squad, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch thought Sanders would be that piece to help put them over the top and make it to the Super Bowl, and he did just that.
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In his first appearance in red and gold against the Arizona Cardinals, Sanders at one point was lined up at fullback in the red zone. He ended up catching a touchdown pass on that same play. His impact was felt on the field all season long.
His most electrifying game would come against the New Orleans Saints. In that game, he hauled in a 75-yard touch pass early in the second quarter. He would go onto make an even more jaw-dropping play and with a little in-game trickery later, ended up throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to Raheem Mostert.
He would appear in 10 games for San Francisco in 2019. In those appearances, he had 36 receptions, 502 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
Ultimately, though, he became a free agent in 2020 and ended up signing with the same Saints team he dazzled the season before.