Shilo Sanders went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, only to get a lifeline from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who signed him to a three-year, $3 million deal.
It was a calculated move by head coach Todd Bowles, who hadn’t selected a safety in the draft and wanted to add competition to the position group.
But like so many UDFAs before him, Sanders learned just how hard it is to stick. On August 24, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Tampa Bay had waived the 24-year-old rookie.
“Buccaneers informed rookie safety Shilo Sanders that he is being waived, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, who added, ‘we’re hoping he gets claimed on waivers,'” Schefter wrote on Instagram.
The news sparked plenty of reaction, including a subtle one from Shilo‘s father, Deion Sanders. The Pro Football Hall of Famer quietly liked Schefter’s post, a small gesture that signaled belief his son would get another chanc.
Why Shilo might not be done in Tampa
Despite the cut, there are already signs Sanders‘ NFL journey with Tampa Bay may not be over. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the Buccaneers could look to bring him back on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
“Sanders could, in theory, sign with the Bucs’ practice squad, after clearing waivers… The bigger question is whether he’s good enough to compete and to play at the NFL level,” Florio said following Tampa Bay’s preseason wrap-up.
That scenario is now looking more realistic given the team’s injury situation at safety. Star defender Antoine Winfield Jr. has been slowed by a hamstring issue, J.J. Roberts suffered a season-ending knee injury, Christian Izien strained an oblique against the Steelers, and Marcus Banks was waived with an injury settlement. The attrition has left Tampa Bay thinner than expected at a position once considered stable.
For Bowles, keeping Sanders close by could provide valuable depth if injuries continue to pile up.
Sanders’ on-field audition was uneven. He showed flashes in his NFL debut against the Tennessee Titans, logging 37 snaps and making a memorable hit that drew attention from coaches.
He finished with one tackle, one quarterback hit, and no targets allowed in coverage. But the momentum didn’t last. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he recorded just two tackles and missed two others, raising questions about his reliability.
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