The Denver Broncos have gotten off to a 2-5 start and are showing no signs of making a potential playoff push, so, naturally, rival teams are inquiring about their veteran players with the Week 8 trade deadline approaching.

One such club is the New England Patriots, who have asked the Broncos about the availability of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

With Josh Gordon currently sidelined with knee and ankle issues and Julian Edelman banged up, it's no surprise that the Patriots could be looking to acquire a wide out.

Remember: earlier in the season, New England signed Antonio Brown, who played just one game for the Pats before being released due to persistent off-the-field issues.

The difference here is that Sanders would actually cost something in return.

Schefter notes that Denver is seeking a “higher form of compensation” for Sanders than the fourth-round draft pick it received from the Houston Texans for Demaryius Thomas last year.

Sanders is not even a year removed from a torn Achilles, but he has remained productive in seven games this season, logging 30 catches for 367 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

The 32-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Southern Methodist, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.

He spent the first four years of his career with the Steelers but did not truly break out until joining the Broncos in 2014, when he proceeded to post three straight 1,000-yard campaigns, making a pair of Pro Bowls along the way.