INDIANAPOLIS -- The Denver Broncos are taking steps to keep two productive players on the roster.
General manager John Elway said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Broncos would exercise the 2019 contract options on wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and defensive end Derek Wolfe.
"They're good football players, so that's why we're planning on exercising," Elway said. "It's different situations, but, yeah, we're planning on exercising both of those."
Sanders' situation doesn't come as a surprise, as NFL Network's Tom Pelissero previously reported on Feb. 20 that the Broncos were expected to keep the wide receiver in 2019.
Sanders, who led the Broncos in receiving last year with 71 catches for 868 yards, will join Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick as the Broncos' projected top wide receivers for soon-to-be starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
The Broncos can't publicly comment on the pending trade to acquire Flacco from the Baltimore Ravens until the start of the NFL's new calendar year on March 13. Flacco's arrival shakes up the quarterback room, of course, and Elway was uncertain if Case Keenum, who signed a two-year deal in 2018, would be in Denver.
"We don't know yet," Elway said. "As I told Case when I talked to him, different options and that we're going to work with him, and give him time to think about it. So, we'll circle back with Case and see where he is, and go from there."
Meanwhile, the Broncos committing to keeping Wolfe certainly provides stability and a boost to the defense.
Wolfe, who has spent seven seasons in Denver, started all 16 games last year and totaled 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception and six passes defensed. On his career with the Broncos, he has 26 sacks.
