Decimated by injuries at wide receiver, the San Francisco 49ers welcomed former Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots starter Mohamed Sanu to town earlier this season. After just three games and one catch with the Niners, however, Sanu is back on the street, with San Francisco releasing him Tuesday now that some of its other wideouts are off the injury report. That's according to NFL Network, which speculated that the 31-year-old target could be immediately attractive to other clubs in need of WR help.
Sanu isn't exactly an enticing name at this point in his career. Once a productive starter with the Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals, he mustered just 520 yards between Atlanta and New England in 2019, with the Pats cutting him in September -- less than a year after acquiring him for a second-round draft pick. Ankle surgery also limited his 2020 offseason, and it's clear he was no more than emergency insurance with the 49ers.
Still, a quarter of the way through the 2020 season, there are quite a few teams who'd be wise to at least check in on the veteran wideout, who has more than 90 career starts under his belt. Here are three early possibilities:
Indianapolis Colts
At 3-1, the Colts are doing just enough on offense to sit near the top of the AFC South, and it's possible their defense will carry them all the way to the playoffs. But anything to possibly help Philip Rivers would be a welcome addition. T.Y. Hilton is off to a very slow start, both Parris Campbell and Michael Pittman Jr. are banged up, and Sanu at least offers the kind of big, reliable body Rivers could hit on short-area throws. Think Devin Funchess gamble, except much more low-risk.
Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr is "sick of losing," but it's not really his fault Las Vegas is stuck at .500 through four games. While Nelson Agholor and Zay Jones have flashed opposite Hunter Renfrow out wide, the Raiders could use more depth at a position that's already down Bryan Edwards, Henry Ruggs and Tyrell Williams. Sanu is no speedster; he's not going to open up any more big plays for Carr. But if he can draw just a lick of attention away from Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs, that wouldn't hurt.
Tennessee Titans
Who knows if the Titans are even in a position to bring anyone from the outside world into their facility, but as long as their COVID woes continue to fade, they could use another body out wide. A.J. Brown just might return for Week 5, and Corey Davis has been productive in his absence, but who else is catching passes here? Yes, it's a run-based offense, but that's also the point. Sanu won't command many targets, but he'd at least offer a playoff contender an extra, experienced veteran on the outside.
