ELWAY MUST LET YOUNG GUNS LEAD THE WAY

Receivers believe they can fill void left by trade of veteran Sanders

Appreciative of their time learning from Emmanuel Sanders, but excited about the next nine games.

That was the company line from the Broncos’ receivers Wednesday following Sanders’ trade (along with a fifth-round pick next year) to San Francisco for 2020 third- and fourth-round draft selections the day before.

Sanders was the gray-beard in the Broncos’ receiver room since Demaryius Thomas was shipped to Houston last October. Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, Tim Patrick, etc., all leaned on Sanders for advice and are ready to apply those lessons on the field, starting Sunday at Indianapolis.

“We have a lot of really good guys in our room who are ready to step up and take that responsibility of filling the void Emmanuel (leaves),” Sutton said.

For sure, the onus will fall on Sutton to capitalize, but it’s just as much on Hamilton (11 catches in seven games), Patrick (out since Week 1 with a hand injury and eligible to return in Week 11) and Juwann Winfree (a rookie who has been inactive for six consecutive games).

“This is why I came to the NFL,” Hamilton said. “If somebody isn’t ready for an opportunity like this, I don’t know why they’re even playing.”

Sutton’s on-field role shouldn’t be impacted. He was the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver to end last year and start this year and leads the team with 36 catches for 564 yards.

“I don’t think a lot is going to change from a personal perspective,” Sutton said. “I try to put my best foot forward in every game no matter where I am on the depth chart.”

For the other receivers, what a chance.

For Sanders, what a chance to return to the postseason. The 49ers are 6-0; the Broncos 2-5.

Sanders met with the Bay Area media Wednesday and said “four different teams” were interested in acquiring him. Sanders confirmed he and general manager John Elway met after the Oct. 13 Tennessee game to discuss a separation.

“Me and John had a conversation

in terms of the direction that I wanted to go and me expressing that,” Sanders said. “He listened. We both decided it was best for me to go. I only got two more years left or three more years left playing football and I’m trying to win a championship and obviously they have a young locker room over there.”

Elway said “issues” contributed to the trade and cited the Titans game as a turning point of sorts because Sanders (knee) missed the second half.

“I even went into that game with a sore knee,” Sanders said.

“Prior to that game, I actually went up to the training staff and told them about my knee being sore. I hadn’t been practicing in Denver on Wednesdays because of my sore knee. … We decided as a whole I shouldn’t play in the (Titans) game anymore.”

On the Broncos’ official injury reports this year, Sanders was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday in Weeks 3 (non-injury related), 4-5 (quad) and 6 (knee). Before the Week 7 game against Kansas City, the Broncos didn’t have a true practice, but Sanders was listed (knee).

Head coach Vic Fangio on Wednesday evaded a question about Elway’s “issues” with Sanders.

“I’m not really sure what John was alluding to, but I do think it was a good move to make,” Fangio said.

It could be a great move if Hamilton and Patrick, in particular, take advantage of the anticipated boost in playing time.

“Obviously, it’ll change a little bit for us and maybe how teams attack us,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “But other than that, we’re going to do what we do.”

What Sutton wants to do is continue his productive season while also taking on a larger leadership role. Through it all, though, he will lean on his yearand-a-half with Sanders.

“Emmanuel taught, not only myself, but our room so much stuff,” Sutton said. “He was a guy who was a dog when it came to playing this position and that’s something you can’t teach. That’s something I know everyone in our room has learned from him. … That’s why I’m not nervous about guys stepping up and being ready for this challenge because we’ve had two good role models (in Sanders and Thomas) to look at and say, ‘This is how we should prepare, this is how we should go out and play this game at a very high level.’”