After the Pittsburgh Steelers traded away Minkah Fitzpatrick, they could use some help at the safety position. Lucky for them, they will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week in their preseason battle. Tampa has a full roster of safeties, which means they will have to let some of them go when final roster cuts are decided. It could result in the Steelers scooping one up.
The headliner on the roster bubble with the Bucs is Shilo Sanders. The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders is an undrafted rookie fighting for his chance to stick in the league. He is on his way to make the practice squad as his worst outcome.
He has started to show some big plays between training camp and his preseason debut last week. Sanders is on a solid path in Tampa.
He was routinely overshadowed by his brother, fellow rookie, Shedeur Sanders. His brother plays the quarterback position, which has commonly received more media attention. Shilo has continued to work his way into the roster conversation with the Bucs, but if he gets let go, the Steelers could bring him aboard.
Pittsburgh Steelers could add Sanders if Tampa cuts him from the roster this preseason
Sanders might be the player Mike Tomlin has been searching for. The Steelers' long-time coach has preached about adding versatility to the secondary, and that is exactly what the club did when they acquired Jalen Ramsey. He can play in the slot, outside, and at the safety position. Sanders might not have that ability, but he can certainly play different roles on defense when called upon.
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In his first preseason action, the rookie defensive back produced strong results. He was all over the field and tallied one tackle and a quarterback hit. While his numbers weren't godly, he was able to make an impact.
He remains in consideration for the Bucs’ roster, though a final spot is not assured. It may result in him looking for a new team.
While Pittsburgh needs the position, it’s not as pressing as before. Losing Fitzpatrick is difficult to replace, but they have their four players at the position to make the team. There’s always a chance Tomlin decides to carry additional depth at the position, giving Sanders a potential path onto the roster. Their fellow undrafted rookie, Sebastian Castro, hasn't worked out.
There is a lot of work in front of Sanders to run through before he has a shot at joining the Steelers. His goal is to convince Tampa he’s worth keeping, but if that doesn’t happen, he’ll need to showcase his value to other teams. If Sanders can make an impact this preseason, Pittsburgh’s thin depth at safety could work in his favor.