If the New England Patriots are interested in acquiring free-agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, they’ll have some competition from a division rival.
The New York Jets “covet” Sanders and fellow free-agent wideout Jeremy Maclin, according to the New York Daily News. The Jets are expected to free up $8 million in salary cap room by releasing wide receiver Santonio Holmes. New York already has $20.2 million in cap room.
The Patriots signed Sanders to an offer sheet worth $2.5 million last offseason when the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver was a restricted free agent. The Steelers ended up matching the offer sheet, and Sanders caught 67 passes for 740 yards and six touchdowns.
The Jets’ interest in Sanders raises another question: Would New York be interested in Patriots free-agent receiver Julian Edelman, as well? Both players have experience lining up outside and in the slot, and Edelman and Sanders have each returned punts in the past.
If there’s one team Patriots fans don’t want Edelman to wind up on, it’s probably the Jets.
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