About 10 days ago we thought rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders would be using the Denver game to test out his return skills. Instead, we will get a look at how he can adapt to the flanker position as Mike Tomlin said Thursday that Sanders will get an extensive look at flanker this week instead of split end. Tomlin loves position flexibility and Sanders seems to be better than fellow rookie Antonio Brown in the route running category and especially in the blocking category. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians commented Thursday that Sanders has shown a physicality in his blocking that\’s really been impressive.
Sanders will get his time to show his return abilities in week 4 of the preseason against Carolina now as Tomlin wants to give Brown another look again as a return man in Denver after his impressive performance last week in New York. Sanders is a virtual lock to make the 53 man roster and his progress of learning multiple receiver positions combined with the play of Brown, might make veteran Arnaz Battle expendable and free up another spot on the 53 man roster. That would mean the Steelers would then likely only keep 5 receivers and could think about trying to get Tyler Grisham signed back to the practice squad once again. Speculation sure, but not totally out of the question still.
