"Emmanuel has been a guy I know I've personally wanted since probably like the last eight years (and) since he became a free agent in Pittsburgh," Shanahan said on Wednesday. "A huge fan of him coming out of the draft and everything he's done since."
Shanahan told reporters earlier in the week that he liked the receiver group the 49ers had in the building and didn't feel there was a sense of urgency to make a significant move to improve it.
"I know I answered that question the other day, and I meant it," Shanahan said. "I have felt less urgency than we have in the years past. I feel good about our group, but we do have a better team right now, and we were able to make it better yesterday, and pumped [Sanders is] here."
Sanders is in the final year of his contract. Shanahan was asked about the risk of trading for a player who may become a free agent after this season. Sanders admitted on Wednesday that he has maybe two or three more years of football left in him.
"It always gives you pause when it comes to draft picks and everything," Shanahan explained. "But we feel he's a guy who can come in and help us a lot this year, and we'll see where it goes for him after that.
"We're very well aware that he'll be a free agent at the end of this year, and we'll see how this year goes. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep him here."
The 49ers gave up third- and fourth-round picks for Sanders but received a fifth-rounder in return.
Shanahan called the move a "calculated risk." He hopes the difference between the 49ers' fourth-round pick and the Broncos' fifth-rounder won't be significant, so that means the 49ers essentially gave up their third-round selection for Sanders.
"With that being said, we feel good about it because we know the type of player we got, and we know how much he can help us," Shanahan added.
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