According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived controversial safety Shilo Sanders, following the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills. Sanders was ejected from the game following throwing a punch at the Bills’ tight end Zach Davidson.

Defensive back Shilo Sanders was competing for a depth role at safety behind Antoine Winfield Jr., with Kaevon Merriweather, Rashad Wisdom, and Will Brooks also listed as backups. However, Sanders’ recent ejection may have sped up the team’s decision-making process. Earlier, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles addressed the matter postgame, stating:

You can’t throw punches in this league. It’s inexcusable. They’re going to catch you every time. You have to grow from that.

The #Bucs waived rookie safety Shilo Sanders.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 24, 2025

The Bucs signed Shilo Sanders as a free agent after failing to draft him at the 2025 NFL Annual Draft as one of the thirteen rookies. Ahead of the incident, Sanders had a good shot at making the squad. He had a fair share of ups and downs; however, new signings and inconsistencies have also been a factor in his waiver.

Nevertheless, his performance might be good enough for another team. His agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, said the same. They also added that they are “hoping he gets claimed on waivers.“

Jordan Schultz backs Shilo Sanders to be picked up somewhere

All is not lost for Shilo Sanders yet, or so Jordan Schultz thinks. In the wake of the waiver announcement, the analyst tweeted that Sanders might be selected by some other team. Schultz’s deduction is based on the fact that there are a few clubs where the safety position is scarce. He tweeted:

A few clubs need safety help — there’s a possibility Shilo Sanders is claimed.

The Washington Commanders and the Kansas City Chiefs were identified by Mike Clay of ESPN as having the shakiest safety unit in the league. In his article, Clay noted that the Commanders are very shaky following the departure of Jeremy Chinn, who logged the most snaps in Washington’s secondary last season.

A few clubs need safety help — there’s a possibility Shilo Sanders is claimed. https://t.co/vt6CQmLKmd

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 24, 2025

The Commanders will be starting with Will Harris, paired with Quan Martin and Percy Butler in the mix as a competition. However, none of the three has earned a strong Pro Football Focus grade in recent years, and Washington chose not to address the position in April’s draft. They could be a good option for Sanders.

Earlier, Jordan Schultz had blasted the NFL referees for ejecting Shilo Sanders. Schultz had claimed that the punch wasn’t enough to warrant an ejection.

On the other hand, Shilo’s brother, Shedeur Sanders, is also fighting for a roster spot. The Colorado Buffaloes quarterback was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns and joined a tight quarterback room. Shedeur had a miserable day in his preseason finale as well.

Shedeur Sanders, after a good outing against the Carolina Panthers, was sidelined in Week 2 of the preseason. He only played a few snaps and was sacked five times, leading to them pulling him inside despite two minutes of play remaining.