NFL rumors: 49ers had interest in Mohamed Sanu before trade to Patriots

The New England Patriots were able to acquire Mohamed Sanu in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons last week, but they weren't the only Super Bowl contender keeping tabs on the veteran wide receiver.

NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco tweeted Monday the 49ers had interest in Sanu before he went to the defending Super Bowl champions.

The other WR the #49ers were interested in last week was Mohamed Sanu. SF didn’t get the sense the #Bengals were all that interested in moving A.J. Green. Plus, SF was wary because of his injuries. They have no idea what kind player he’ll be when he’s finally able to play.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) October 28, 2019

The 49ers didn't wait long to make a trade of their own, acquiring veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in a deal with the Denver Broncos just a few hours after the Sanu traded to New England was reported.

Both players made an impact in their debuts Sunday.

Sanders hauled in a touchdown reception from 49ers quarterback (and former Patriots backup) Jimmy Garoppolo on San Francisco's first drive in its win over the Carolina Panthers. Sanu tallied two receptions (including a key third down catch) for 23 yards from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and also blocked well in the run game.

The Patriots (8-0) and 49ers (7-0) are the only unbeaten teams left in the league, and even though a Brady vs. Garoppolo showdown would be the top storyline in a potential Super Bowl LIV matchup between these teams, there are plenty of others that are juicy as well. Among those is which team made the most impactful wideout addition before the trade deadline -- the Patriots with Sanu or the 49ers with Sanders?