On the surface level, the Bucs are an excellent landing spot for Shilo Sanders. He coincidentally shares a lot of parallels with Todd Bowles. The HC also played safety and went undrafted, so he can guide Deion Sanders’ son down the path he has already traveled. That being said, it will be a battle for Shilo to move forward. He may have signed with the Bucs, but he is an undrafted free agent and not a part of the final roster.

That also means he is in line to make less money than he made in college. Undrafted free agents such as Shilo Sanders initially sign a 3-year, league-minimum contract in the NFL. The figures and scales keep evolving, of course, with updates to the salary cap. For 2025, the annual salary Shilo will make is $840k. This figure will get bumped up to $885k and $930k in ‘26 and ‘27, respectively, as per Pro Football Network.

Not too shabby whatsoever. Any player drafted after round 3 is going to make the same amount each year. The only difference is that they’ll have an additional 4th year on the back end. Ironically, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders are poised to make the same amount over the next 3 years. Imagine that being the case about a week ago. However, On3 estimates Shilo’s NIL valuation to be $1.1 million. Hence, the $260k deficit in 2025 relative to his earnings at the collegiate level will be huge.

That’s a healthy amount for most people, even when you’re Deion Sanders’ son and come from generational wealth. But Shilo Sanders probably isn’t losing too much sleep over it. He knew this reality heading into the draft. For a player of his stature and ilk, getting to a second contract is always the goal. That’s when the Benjamins really start flowing in. But getting to that second contract is the hard part. Shilo’s staring down the barrel of more hard work and graft than he’s ever had to do. However, did you know that going undrafted can be a blessing for some players?

It can be seen as a boon for lower-rated prospects as they get the freedom to choose where they go. In fact, by the time the seventh round starts, many players hope to go undrafted because that way, they can negotiate with various teams to find the correct fit. Additionally, some undrafted free agents may possibly earn more guaranteed money than late-round picks.

While Shilo’s exact contract details are unknown, the league’s collective bargaining agreement has a limit on how much signing bonus the entire UDFA class gets. Two years ago, the amount was $172,337, and so, teams would make a significant portion of a player’s salary guaranteed in order to sign them. On the other hand, being drafted as a late pick won’t have guaranteed money worked into the contract this way.

So, for now, Shilo can revel in the fact that he’s actually on an NFL franchise. But it may not have even been the case had he not taken a drastic measure in the dying embers of draft weekend.

Shilo Sanders had to give father, Deion Sanders, the cold shoulder!

The NFL Draft was supposed to be a joyous, celebratory occasion for the Sanders clan; The time that they finally get reciprocated for the work they put in over the years. However, it transpired into a juncture for self-reflection. That TV screen broadcasting the draft became a mirror, especially for Deion Sanders.

His proactivity and hands-on role in both his son’s careers felt like a hindrance for the first time. There’s a thin line between being a present father and an overbearing one, and the NFL vicariously told ‘Prime Time’ he may have crossed over. So, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders took matters into their own hands.

After being represented by Deion Sanders over the draft process, Shilo announced on a Twitch livestream on Day 3 that he had signed with an actual agent; Someone who’d get on a call and line up teams, such as the Buccaneers, as potential destinations. He could have pulled plugs and used connections that Deion Sanders might not have done.

As evidenced by their unpreparedness for how Shedeur slid down the board, “Dad was our agent. But that hasn’t been working out too good! So today, I had to sign with an agent. We’re gonna see what happens,” announced Shilo Sanders on the stream, which spawned an interesting reaction in the room. It was a joke, and the whole family laughed, but was it a joke rooted in truth? Only Shilo can answer that.