New Orleans Saints added a receiver this offseason. After spending last year in Denver and San Francisco, Emmanuel Sanders is part of the Saints. This gives New Orleans a dynamic player in the slot and makes Drew Brees’ life easier. Sanders also figures to get a lot of receiving yards and attention with defenses focused on Saints’ star Mike Thomas. Rich Eisen had him on his radio program yesterday and asked Sanders why he chose New Orleans over places like Green Bay who, per reports, had an interest in him. The wide receiver gave a blunt and honest answer that Packers fans need to hear now and again. Sanders’ comments about Green Bay come at the 1:55 mark of the video.

This makes complete sense. Sure playing with Aaron Rodgers is great, but Brees is not a bad option either. He spoke to Brees reaching out after he signed a deal with New Orleans. Sanders choose the dome over Lambeau Field. That’s fine. He is from Texas and lives close to Louisiana as well. There is nothing wrong with any of this from the dynamic receiver. But sometimes, Packers fans act like this isn’t a big deal. It is. Green Bay does have legacy and tradition plus Rodgers yet it is still Green Bay, Wisconsin. That is a hard reality to deal with but New Orleans is a better place to live from Sanders’ perspective.

Sanders also provided a nugget at the very end that Green Bay wanted to do a three-year deal with him. Whether that is true or not, Green Bay doing a three-year deal for a guy that will be 32 next season seems odd. But maybe Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and cap wizard Russ Ball wanted to spread out the money versus paying him upfront? He would have been a nice addition to the Packers offense, but obviously, Sanders did not have any interest in Green Bay. We shouldn’t hold that against him.

Packers will meet Sanders down in New Orleans this season in what will be a highly anticipated showdown between the Packers and Saints.

Charlie.