Broncos' Emmanuel Sanders: Aiming for Week 1

Sanders (Achilles) is confident he will be ready for Week 1 of 2019, saying Monday "I'll be making plays for somebody," Ryan O'Halloran of The Denver Post reports.

The comment hints at uncertainty about his future in Denver, where it may be time for a mini-rebuild after the firing of coach Vance Joseph at the end of a 6-10 campaign. The Broncos joined the playoff hunt with three straight wins Weeks 11-13, but they then lost four straight to close out the season after Sanders suffered a torn Achilles during a Week 14 practice. He was a massive part of the Denver passing game prior to his season-ending injury, but it won't come as a huge surprise if he's eventually released, considering he turns 32 in March and has a non-guaranteed $10.15 million base salary for the final year of his contract in 2019, per overthecap.com. The two sides might consider an injury settlement if the Broncos want to clear up cap space before Sanders receives medical clearance -- something that's unlikely to happen any earlier than summer. It's also entirely possible the team wants to keep him around for another season. Either way, Sanders faces a serious challenge to be ready for Week 1.