Shilo Sanders And The Safeties Overload
June 12th, 2025
Bucs safeties work with position coach Nick Rapone.
Joe gets a fair amount of questions about undrafted rookie safety Shilo Sanders. Will Deion’s kid make the Bucs’ roster?
Joe consistently gives the same answer:
Highly doubtful.
Antoine Winfield and Tykee Smith at the projected starters. The Bucs love third-year man Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather was re-signed in the offseason.
Merriweather wasn’t so good last year but then was plucked from the Bucs by the Lions. He spent a little time in Detroit, landed on their practice squad and then the Bucs signed him back and Merriweather looked like a different player. And he drew lots of postseason praise from Todd Bowles.
So where does Sanders fit in?
Joe asked Bowles about the depth and competition at safety yesterday.
“I think we’re getting a lot of depth from that standpoint with [Rashad] Wisdom coming into his second year and making some plays,” Bowles began. (Joe was intrigued that the head coach went to Wisdom first).
“But, then you’ve got [undrafted rookie] J.J. [Roberts] and you’ve got Shilo [Sanders] also coming along and learning the system and starting to get more comfortable and make some plays back there, as well. Then you’ve got ‘Izzy’ (Christian Izien) there and you’ve got [Antoine] Winfield obviously and you’ve got Tykee [Smith] sitting there and you’ve got [Kaevon] Merriweather sitting there. We’ve got a lot of guys. That’s going to be one of the more heavily competitive spots once training camp starts.”
After three days of patrolling minicamp, Joe will point fans to Roberts, the undrafted rookie out of Marshall. He’s been impressing under the radar (and not under the radar) since he showed up for rookie camp.
Will the Bucs keep four safeties? Five? As of today, Joe doesn’t see a roster path for Sanders. He’d really have to ball out in preseason.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Practice Squad…..
June 12th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Shilo will make the squad just for publicity I think.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:47 am
What are the odds somebody blows a knee or something by the end of preseason
June 12th, 2025 at 11:49 am
Since Roberts is outperforming Sanders, AS A FEW OF US SUGGESTED WOULD HAPPEN, why is the issue about whether Sanders makes the team? What is this obsession with the spawn of a celebrity athlete? He is irrelevant, and stories that continue to pimp his cause are no better than TMZ. Just sayin’. And I’ve been saying it… and now even the Joe can see that Roberts is actually the UDFA safety to keep an eye on.
I compare it to people who are famous for no good reason… It’s the Kardashianization of sports… Pathetic.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:50 am
First Last Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 11:41 am
That’s not how it works. They’re trying to win games.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:50 am
Think Shilo ends up on the practice squad.
BTW, No one has mentioned Desmond ? How is he doing?
June 12th, 2025 at 11:50 am
Highly rooting for JJ Roberts. That man is a missile. If there’s a practice where he and Jacob Parrish collide into a WR, I hope to God that WR is on a different team in a joint practice.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Shilo is borderline to even make the PS. But hey, I watched his daddy play, so let’s pay attention to him! 🙄🙄🙄
June 12th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
First Last = “Shilo will make the squad just for publicity I think.”
Could be the PRACTICE squad though. I’d quickly take that gig, it pays pretty well. You still get to play football and not sit in a cubicle. To make the practice squad in the NFL, you still have to be a pretty good player. Tons of players go unsigned and undrafted from college. Crazy thing is, there are a lot of KIDS in college making a lot more money than what NFL practice squad players make. it’s turned into a crazy world. A player who can elevate a college team to win (usually a QB) but not come close to making any NFL squad will make more money before his eligibility runs out than most lower draft picks and undrafted free agents.
June 12th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
This is where I wish the UFL was like baseball’s AAA. Give some of these guys a chance to grow up but still be part of the big team. December call ups.
June 12th, 2025 at 12:25 pm
Shilo is a good kid and is trying his best out there. He had a strong, effective, and involved dad. That is all positive. I would love to see him make the team, practice squad. He is young and working hard on the field. It all could be far worse.
June 12th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
@heyjude, the point is that the same could probably said for all these kids but Shilo gets the focus for only one very irrelevant reason.
June 12th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Hey, what’s Kanye up to lately?
June 12th, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Bro don’t be mad that people like the kid honestly people want to know about everyone on the field not just the sanders kid it just so happens to be his post it’s something to talk about don’t have a hernia over this he still has at least 2 more months to make the team relax
June 12th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
Best bet to make the active roster is special teams as a gunner, but he can 100% be a practice squad player/reserve.
Guys are making too big a deal about his dad, nobody is saying this about Winfield or saying we only drafted Morrison because his dad is one of Bowles teammates from his playing days.
If Shilo can play ball, he’ll stick but I think his chances to make and stay on an NFL roster are better here in Tampa than anywhere else in the league because we don’t NEED him to work right away.
June 12th, 2025 at 1:52 pm
Nothing against Sanders at all, but he’s a 25 year rookie who doesn’t stand out. Without the name there’s no sizzle or even a 2nd thought about keeping him around. He only got half of Deion’s genes, he’s not a clone unfortunately.
Not even PS value most likely.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
FilthyAnimal – To be honest, I really don’t feel as though Shilo is getting the main focus. I doubt that Todd is giving him any special time either. Just giving the kid a chance.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
If Sanders is good enough, he’ll make the team, if he’s not good enough but still a possible NFL talent, he’ll get on the practice squad. His scouting reports say that before all his injuries he was considered a middle to late round draft pick prospect, so it’s not out of the question he can make the team with a strong camp, but he’s also 25 already with a long injury history, so he’s got a lot going against them. Will be interesting to see if he can make a name for himself in training camp, and if he does anything in preseason. Seems like a very good guy, so I’m not rooting against him, but people just wanting him to make the team because they know how is daddy is – well the NFL doesn’t work that way.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
heyjude Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
This article shows otherwise. And it’s not the first one. Why is there a post about Shilo, and not about JJ Roberts? For non-football reasons pnly. Celebrity nonsense.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
Filthy, the ‘Kardashianation” of sports? That is both funny and just plain mean to the rest of us to mention the “K” word and apply it here. LOL. I’m looking for a sharp stick to poke my eyes out, thanks. It does rhyme with Abomination though.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
AWJ WATCH
AWJ is in his last year of guaranteed money. I love AWJ. I think he’s the best player on defense, but you have to think the Bucs are going to watch his health this next year. They have a lot of really good, and expensive, free agents. If AWJ can’t stay healthy, he may be a scratch.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
Waiting for the article about J.J. Roberts. Oh wait, he doesn’t have a celebrity sideshow daddy, so we won’t hear anything.
June 12th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
What’s the latest with the Kardashians?
June 12th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
I don’t really care who it is backing up AWJ and Tykee. May the best man (men) win.
BUT
Safety play HAS to improve significantly if our pass D is going to be better.
Having safeties and CBs meeting together instead of seperately is another step in the right direction 👍🏼
June 12th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
What’s Paris Hilton up to?
June 12th, 2025 at 4:20 pm
Years ago, in one of my positions, I helped the football/basketball coaches, and athletes with the college recruiters. I loved it and especially loved seeing these kids get a full scholarship and move on with their career paths and the sport they loved. A couple of them made it to the NFL. So I wear my heart on my sleeve with all the young kids getting the chance to play college and NFL. It’s their dream. They work hard for it. Their coaches, families, and so many others support them throughout. Doesn’t matter if one of their family members are famous. It’s about them.
June 12th, 2025 at 4:33 pm
This year’s Culpepper, Testaverde and a few other curtesy training camp players usually it leaves no doubt in their minds that they don’t have NFL ability
June 12th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
Since Roberts is outperforming Sanders, AS A FEW OF US SUGGESTED WOULD HAPPEN, why is the issue about whether Sanders makes the team?”
Easy, big guy. They are in underwear. No one has performed much less outperformed anyone.
June 12th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
^^ You’re missing the point.
June 12th, 2025 at 5:04 pm
What’s happening in the P. Diddy trial?
June 12th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
You know it’s the off season when relatively intelligent grown men are belly aching about reading something involving someone that no forced them to read to begin with. Exercise your freedom of choice. I have very little interest in reading about Sanders as well. Yesterday on this site someone mentioned Sanders as a player that would not only make the team but projected him as a player in heavy rotation. That was odd. There a lot of people on this site that like reading about Gruden. Not me. No interest in Gruden whatsoever. His whole kid in a candy store routine is a snooze fest. Done over and over again. Just skip the story. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Hang on fellas training camp starts soon. Few more weeks and we are back in business.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:16 pm
TODD BETTER BE SURE when someone is placed on the PS this year that they have no immediate future, or another team will just snap them up. This should be a tough decision-making time for him.
June 12th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Crickett Baker Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 8:16 pm
How is it different from any other year? And if they had an immediate future, the only reason they’d go to PS is because someone else had a better immediate future. That’s the downside of a talented roster.
June 12th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
The only drawback to Shilo is his age and Deion’s shadow. Shilo reminds me of Ronde Barber. Given a chance, I think he will be effective.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:05 pm
George Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
The only drawback to Shilo is his age and Deion’s shadow. Shilo reminds me of Ronde Barber. Given a chance, I think he will be effective.
———–
Barber was a bit more than ‘effective’, he is literally a HOF’er.
How about dialing things back a bit.
June 12th, 2025 at 11:19 pm
Hey Filthy Animal, all your angry posts just incentivizes the Joes to keep posting about Sanders lololololol great work man
June 12th, 2025 at 11:48 pm
George Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
I mean, Ronde was an accomplished college CB drafted in the third round. Shilo is an overaged, average college safety who was never considered much of an NFL prospect… except for his famous father… but other than that, they’re practically twins. 🙄
This kind of uninformed delusional nonsense is exactly why I find the Shilo coverage idiotic. It’s not about football, at all.
June 13th, 2025 at 7:47 am
Shilo…what letter is 7 letters away frm L in the direction of Z. Now plug it in.
June 13th, 2025 at 8:14 am
Shilo will make the Squad as a Special Teamer (Josh Hayes,Kenall Vildor)
and I think JJ Roberts will be getting Snaps a Nickleback/Slot Corner.
You never can have enough Safetys.
June 13th, 2025 at 8:18 am
“George Says:
June 12th, 2025 at 10:22 pm
The only drawback to Shilo is his age and Deion’s shadow. Shilo reminds me of Ronde Barber. Given a chance, I think he will be effective.”
Well, that and the overall massive difference in talent.
Good grief. I can’t wait to hear the bellyaching if(when) this kid gets cut. By all accounts, he’s literally at the bottom of the safety depth chart.
I’ve never seen so many people overrate camp meat.
June 13th, 2025 at 8:23 am
BTW – he’s literally 7th on the depth chart.
He’s behind Winfield, Izien, Merriweather, Banks, Wisdom and Roberts (Buccaneers.com). And that’s with Smith listed as NCB (and not a safety).
Reality check – unless there’s a rash of injuries he’s PS – at best.
June 13th, 2025 at 9:29 am
When pre season hits Shilo will show why he should make the team ….. I GAURANNNTEEEEEEEEER (in my Charles Barkley voice)
June 13th, 2025 at 11:31 am
StormyInFL Says:
June 13th, 2025 at 8:23 am
BTW – he’s literally 7th on the depth chart.
He’s behind Winfield, Izien, Merriweather, Banks, Wisdom and Roberts (Buccaneers.com). And that’s with Smith listed as NCB (and not a safety).
Reality check – unless there’s a rash of injuries he’s PS – at best.
@StormyInFL
Winfield,Izien,Merriweather are the only locks beacuse of their experience and playing time last year. Remember last year they were thin at Safety they resigned Meriiweather after letting him go and Detroit released him from their Practice squad. Banks and Wisdom are probably Practice Squad players. JJ Roberts who can play Nickel/Slot Corner and Shilo who can also play the Nickel/Slot as well as Backup Safety and play Special Teams(Upgrade over Josh Hayes) has a legitimate chance to make the 53 Man roster. I agree he is a Project but can be a good Safety with Coaching and Mentorship.
Buc2Blame Says:
June 13th, 2025 at 9:29 am
When pre season hits Shilo will show why he should make the team ….. I GAURANNNTEEEEEEEEER (in my Charles Barkley voice)
I AGREE 100%
June 13th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
^^ drunk the koolaid because of the celebrity father, not based on actual football skills.
June 14th, 2025 at 6:40 am
I heard Taylor Swift is coming, to watch him at training camp.
If true- he may be an all star next year! lol
Never forget for a minute that football is ENTERTAINMENT.
If a player can get butts in seats, just because of his name, – he has a big advantage of some unknown kid.
Another cruel fact of the NFL
The coaches are all about winning. But there are voices higher up, that also look at the teams profit margin.
And they make sure their opinion counts, too.