NFL insider raises concerns for Bucs after Shilo Sanders signing

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have shown they don't care about public opinion time and time again under general manager Jason Licht. The latest example is the Buccaneers bringing in former Colorado safety Shilo Sanders, the son of the legendary Deion Sanders, as an undrafted free agent.

Head coach Todd Bowles has already praised Sanders for his ability between the lines. Bowles specifically noted his tackling and Sanders is coming off a senior season where he totaled 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

“I think he’s a good football player. He’s a heck of a tackler and he knows the game very well — he can see the game very well so giving him a chance to play, we think he has a shot to help us from a safety standpoint and from a special teams standpoint," Bowles said earlier this week.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos safety Shilo Sanders (21) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"I’m excited to get him in here and see how he moves. I saw him tackle all year. I saw him make plays," Bowles added. "He’s a very smart player and he understands the game very well. So we thought it was worth a shot to see what he can do and I think he’ll show himself well.”

Regardless, this has a chance of becoming a media headache for the Buccaneers. Deion Sanders has never been shy about voicing his opinion, right or wrong, and he could create an uproar if Tampa Bay releases Shilo Sanders.

One NFL Insider has already raised the concern as ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio warned the Buccaneers to be cautious with how they deal with this scenario.

Florio says what everyone else already knows, a public call-out could be coming from Sanders if either of his son's don't get what he perceives as a 'fair shot' at the NFL level.

"Any team that gives Shilo a shot needs to be ready for it to be a fair shot, because Deion has the public profile to call out anyone who doesn’t, in Deion’s view, give either Shilo or Shedeur a fair shot," Florio wrote.

Florio isn't wrong but coming under fire from Deion Sanders is probably the last thing on Licht or Bowles' mind. They're focused on finding the right pieces to put the Buccaneers in a position to compete for their fifth-consecutive NFC South Championship.

If Sanders can contribute to winning football, he'll have a chance to stick with the franchise.

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