Buccaneers Waive Shilo Sanders Following Preseason Incident: What it Means for his NFL Future

Ultimately, there’s a chance Sanders will be claimed in the coming days and weeks, but given the constant media attention on the Sanders family and Shilo’s struggles to perform at an NFL level, teams might decide against it.

Sanders didn't have the same acclaimed college career as his brother, struggling to deliver consistent quality play. He was the 43rd-ranked safety on top draft analyst Dane Brugler's "The Beast" draft guide, 22 spots behind the last safety Brugler awarded a draftable grade. His performance at the NFL combine didn't help, leaving with a 4.52 Relative Athletic Score.

Sanders was considered a troubling addition to the Buccaneers when he was first signed, both for his on-field performance and off the field.

The off-the-field concerns came from a near decade-long legal saga involving Sanders, during which he was on the losing side of a lawsuit filed by a security guard at his former high school. The guard claimed that Sanders assaulted him, resulting in damage to his cervical spine and permanent neurological issues. Shilo claimed that the guard was the aggressor in the altercation, but the court didn't rule in his favor.

On the field, Sanders didn’t exhibit stellar play during his college career and gained notoriety for his late hits and mental mistakes.

When he got the chance to play this preseason, he struggled to perform. Pro Football Focus gave him a 39.1 grade for his three games played, ranking him 201st out of 207 possible safeties. 

Sanders’ struggles on the field made him a likely cut candidate from the start, but his ejection in Sunday night’s game was probably the nail in the coffin for his time as a Buccaneer. Whether he will be claimed off waivers is the next question, but with his poor preseason play and off-field issues, don’t be surprised if he isn’t.