Roster cutdown day has come and gone, and the Pittsburgh Steelers built out their roster to work toward the 2025 regular season. There were very few surprises on the initial roster, but things are always fluid as other teams make cuts and roster shuffling takes place.
One thing that has changed from the end of the 2024 season to now for Pittsburgh is the team's safety depth. DeShon Elliot had been a pleasant surprise and received an extension this offseason as a reward for his solid 2024 season.
After the trade of Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami, the Steelers were left with a hole at safety that needed to be filled in 2025. They signed Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark to compete in camp, with Thornhill seemingly winning the starting job.
Clark was initially part of the cuts made to trim the roster to 53 players, but he has since returned to the roster after Will Howard and Donte Kent were placed on IR. This will help the team's depth, but there was an intriguing name available that the Steelers made their thoughts known on by their lack of action during waiver claims.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Shilo Sanders goes unclaimed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave Shilo Sanders an opportunity after he went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. Most figured this would be his path to the league, and he was going to have to work for his spot.
Sanders seemed to be having a good camp, impressing coaches with his football IQ and his humble attitude despite the spotlight on him being the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. This seemed to point to him having a good shot at making his case for the 53-man roster or, at the very least, practice squad consideration.
However, the Bucs cut the former Colorado standout the day after their final preseason game. Sanders was ejected during the game after a scuffle with the Bills' Zach Davidson in which he threw a punch at the tight end.
READ MORE: Steelers' Shilo Sanders silence speaks volumes after Tampa Bay release
Throwing a punch probably did not get him cut by itself, as Sanders did not have a breakout camp or preseason and did not show enough to compel the Buccaneers to keep him. The punch certainly did not help his case as a fringe player, however.
In the wake of him getting cut, the Steelers had an opportunity to put in a claim on him to add to their 53-man roster or sign him to their practice squad after waiver claims were over. The Steelers did not submit a claim on him, and they also passed on adding him to the practice squad.
Myles Killebrew is a core special teamer and is only a safety in emergencies, so having just three true safeties on the roster with Elliot, Thornhill, and Clark goes to show their thoughts on Sanders at this time. Currently, the rest of the NFL seems to agree, as no one has signed Sanders to their roster or practice squad.