Bucs rookie fighting for a roster spot ejected from preseason game against Bills, and it might have just sealed his chances of making the 53-man roster
The Bucs’ rookie made a big mistake on Saturday night.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a battle with the Buffalo Bills in the final weekend of the 2025 preseason. Even though both teams are resting lots of starters – and in the Bucs’ case all of their starters – there’s still a lot to play for for just about everyone in the game.
Players are battling for second string opportunities while others are fighting for one of their team’s final roster spots. That includes rookie safety Shilo Sanders out of Colorado. The undrafted free agent signed with the Bucs after the draft, and he had a good enough offseason that he came into camp with a legitimate shot at sneaking onto the 53-man roster.
However, he headed into the preseason finale on Saturday night against Buffalo on the outside looking in by some pundits, at least as it relates to making the 53. And he committed a stupid mistake that potentially extinguished any chance of that happening.
In the second quarter, Sanders got tied up with Bills tight end Zach Davidson. The two went from a blocking situation to pushing and shoving to Sanders hauling off and socking Davidson right in front of the referee. That resulted in a 15-yard penalty and a first down and Sanders was headed to the showers early.
Football is obviously a highly physical and emotional sport, but it’s one where you’ve got to play with controlled aggression. Losing your cool and punching a player, particularly when you’re trying to show good sense on a football field in your final opportunity, shows a lack of control, and his tape this preseason hasn’t been enough to overcome that.
While nothing is certain regarding the final spot, the Bucs will likely go with Antoine Winfield, Jr., Tykee Smith, Christian Izien, and Kaevon Meriweather as their four safeties on the 53-man roster, leaving Sanders out. If this incident didn’t put Bowles and the Bucs’ staff off on him, perhaps an opportunity on the practice squad could still exist for Sanders due in part to Tampa Bay’s injury issues in the secondary.
But as far as Sanders’ chances for the main roster, it just feels like they went out with him off the field in the first half on Saturday night.
