3 reasons why Emmanuel Sanders could reunite with the Steelers in 2020

Pittsburgh will be searching for help on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Here’s why former Steelers receiver Emmanuel Sanders could come back home.

After having to deal with the bitter taste of defeat this offseason, the Steelers must soon face something even worse: The end of a Super Bowl era in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger turns 38 years old in March, and the Steelers are looking to make one last-ditch effort before he hangs up his cleats for good.

We have seen dozens of teams around the league go years decades between trying to find their next franchise quarterback, and Steelers fans who lived through the ’80s and ’90s know too well what that phase looks like.

With Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl window quickly closing, the Steelers will no doubt be searching for ways to improve their team right away. One possibility they should consider is bringing back Emmanuel Sanders in 2020.

Here are three reasons why Sanders could reunite with the Steelers this year:

Steelers need veteran depth at receiver

Pittsburgh is clearly lacking veteran depth in their wide receiving core. Donte Moncrief was brought in to give the Steelers a boost last season, but his performance was thoroughly disappointing.

Sanders, on the other hand, is coming off a year in which he managed 502 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in just 10 games for the 49ers. Though he isn’t the threat he used to be, he could give Pittsburgh some much-needed depth at the position.

Chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger

Big Ben may have just two years left in the tank. Though he helped JuJu Smith-Schuster to a 1,400-yard season in 2018, he hasn’t had the chance to establish much chemistry with James Washington or Diontae Johnson.

Why not bring in a receiver he spent four seasons with? Sanders may be turning 33 years old before the start of the season, but that doesn’t mean he and Ben can’t find a way to get on the same page again.

The price is right

Just 30th in the league in cap space heading into the 2020 offseason, Pittsburgh doesn’t exactly have the firepower to go out and land the NFL’s biggest free agents this year. While Sanders will certainly demand more than the veteran minimum, the price could be right for him to join Pittsburgh.

At 33, Sanders isn’t going to receive a payday like he did when he took his talents to Denver at age 27. However, the two-time Pro Bowler still holds plenty of value for the Steelers to give him a one or two year deal.

Landing Emmanuel Sanders isn’t something that is likely to happen for Pittsburgh this offseason, and there is a chance that the 49ers try to retain him before he hits the market. However, if he unrestricted free agent receiver becomes available, perhaps the Steelers should make a run at him.