NFL Executives claim Emmanuel Sanders’ agent broke ‘every rule of negotiations’

The Denver Broncos were celebrating late Saturday night, having signed free agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to replace the recently departed Eric Decker.

Little did they know that the signing actually happened under questionable circumstances.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that rival executives are crying foul about the process that landed Sanders in Denver:

"Agent Steve Weinberg, on behalf of the receiver, accepted a deal with the Chiefs in principle, according to one team source. Weinberg then engaged in negotiations with theTampa Bay Buccaneers, according to another source involved in the process.While shopping the Chiefs offer to the Bucs, Weinberg never explained that he had already accepted the terms of Kansas City’s offer. Later in the night, Sanders’ agent had agreed to terms with the Broncos, which is where he is currently headed. Sanders and Weinberg also rankled the 49ers by agreeing to visit, then blowing it off.”"

It should be noted that Weinberg has a history of sketchy behavior, including some “creative accounting” back in 2003 that got him barred and decertified by the NFLPA.  He was only recently reinstated, so this surely isn’t helping his case that he has reformed his ways.

The descriptions of Sanders’ new deal from rival executives are no joke. From Rapoport’s report:

• “…broke every rule in negotiations…”
• “This was one of the worst situations in modern football negotiations…Totally wrong. This needs to be stopped.”
• “When a man gives you his words and pulls out…then gives another team your word and pulls out, then gives another team his word … Not proper.”

Sanders will be on the Broncos, but this story isn’t going away anytime soon.