Buy or Sell: Mohammed Sanu returning to the Falcons

In hindsight, the Falcons committed highway robbery when they traded Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots for a second-round pick in the middle of last season. The Falcons then flipped that selection to the Ravens for Hayden Hurst, who is much younger, cheaper, and has three more years of control. Meanwhile, Sanu only played in eight games for the Patriots, catching 26 passes for 207 yards before they moved on from him yesterday. Now, he is looking for a new home, but would he be a good fit back in Atlanta?

Sanu had his best years with the Falcons, culminating with 66 receptions and 838 yards in 2018. However, at 31 years old, it’s apparent that he’s lost a step, and the Falcons are pretty loaded at the wide receiver position.

Russell Gage stepped up in Sanu’s absence, catching 45 balls for over 400 yards in the season’s final nine games as the team’s primary slot option. Going into his third season, he’s more than ready to take on that role full-time.

The Falcons also have some quality depth behind Gage. They signed former first-round pick Laquon Treadwell this offseason, and Olamide Zaccheaus is a name to watch out for as well. The former UDFA could see an increased role in his second season.

Sanu is probably a better option than both of those two, but does he really want to sign somewhere where he would be the fourth receiver, looking at a couple of targets a game at most? There are plenty of other teams way more desperate for help at the receiver position.

So I’m selling the idea of bringing Sanu back to Atlanta. I’d love to have him. He was fantastic for the Falcons and a tremendous leader in the locker room. However, this isn’t a good fit for either side. If Thomas Dimitroff is going to bring in a free agent with the limited dollars he has remaining to spend, it should be on the defensive side of the ball.