Saints' Sanders: I've waited years 'to be back in a pass-happy offense'

For Emmanuel Sanders, joining the New Orleans Saints means another chance to line up in a prolific pass offense, something he hasn't experienced in recent years.

"I'm excited to be there in a pass-happy offense," Sanders told James Palmer of NFL Network in a phone interview Tuesday. "That means everything. These are the types of offenses where you really can showcase your talent. I've waited almost four years, ever since 2014 with Peyton (Manning), to be back in a pass-happy offense."

Sanders, who was drafted in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, played alongside Ben Roethlisberger for four seasons before joining Manning and the Denver Broncos in 2014.

The wideout formed a solid receiving duo with Demaryius Thomas and won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos but played with five different starting quarterbacks following Manning's retirement after the 2015 season. Sanders joined the San Francisco 49ers' run-heavy offense following a midseason trade last year.

The 33-year-old Sanders, who signed a two-year, $16-million deal this offseason to play with New Orleans and future Hall of Fame signal-caller Drew Brees, will join a Saints offense that amassed 265.2 passing yards per game in 2019, which ranked seventh in the league. He'll also play alongside one of the NFL's premier receivers and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year in Michael Thomas.

"I'm looking forward to getting in that building and showcasing my talents and seeing what (head coach) Sean Payton does with both of us," Sanders said. "I feel like watching Mike, he's a baller, and I know what I'm capable of, too. So we're going to see how it all clicks. Hopefully, a year from today, we'll be talking about how we came together and did something special as a wide receiver unit like me and Demaryius did."

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