For the Buccaneers, the preseason has been a crucible, casting rookies into the fiery pressure of proving they belong. But as injuries pile up in the secondary and the safety depth chart churns, a single name has risen, not out of nowhere, but meandering through the league’s back roads. Todd Bowles needs a new safety, and the answer he’s found is in the name: Will Brooks.

During the joint practice with the Steelers, J.J. Roberts went down with a leg injury, ending his 2025 campaign. During the matchup, defensive back Christian Izien also suffered an oblique injury. The depth had thinned out, and Bowles acted surgically, weaving his roster with fresh threads of hope. A standout from Tennessee, Will Brooks’ journey to Tampa Bay is marked by the hunger of a UDFA tryout player. With the final preseason game against the Bills inching close, every snap in Tampa Bay is magnified, and Bowles has chosen a familiar face with raw potential.

Brooks had already made himself known as a tryout during the rookie minicamps. Notably, he also had a tryout with the Saints, but now he brings his collegiate finale of 4 INTs to Tampa Bay. Bowles’ move to bring Brooks abroad is more than just filling a gap, though. It’s a calculated risk, an acknowledgement that the Bucs’ defense must evolve to keep pace with NFC offenses. Brooks, tested by adversity and disciplined by necessity, fits the mold of Bowles’ vision of a safety: versatile, ball-hungry, and ready to learn.

Brooks comes on the heels of two more notable injuries to the safety room. Apart from Roberts and Izien, Antoine Winfield Jr. is also suffering from a hamstring strain, and the Bucs are erring on the side of caution. Marcus Banks, on the other hand, has received an injury settlement and bid his goodbyes.

And as Brooks steps in, another narrative plays out under the same stadium lights. A cautionary tale shadowed by the Sanders family legacy. Shilo Sanders finds himself on the edge of Tampa Bay’s plans. Brought in as an UDFA, Shilo’s path is anything but ordinary. But the opportunity he’s been desperately chasing wavers after a critical mistake against the Steelers in Week 2 of the preseason.

Shilo Sanders’ preseason struggle

While the injuries opened a door for Shilo Sanders, he couldn’t keep it open for long. Shilo missed a crucial tackle that immediately put him in the spotlight. As JC Allen captured the sentiment on X, “Bad missed tackle by Shilo Sanders. Vildor there to clear it up.” It was a moment that could have launched momentum, but for Sanders, it ended up stalling it instead.

Shilo finished the night with two solo tackles, two misses, and no highlight plays: no argument for why his name should climb higher on the safety board. Shilo did notably put up a good performance against the Titans. Even Todd Bowles had noted his skills: “I thought he went in and did a heck of a job. He had some good tackles inside, and he had pressure on the quarterbacks as well. He did some good coverage things, he did a good job when he was in there.” But now, that praise gets lost in missed tackles.

The stakes are clear. For Will Brooks, the next few weeks represent a trial by fire. It’s his chance to turn tryout dreams into NFL reality. For Shilo Sanders, the path narrows, but still isn’t closed. Every play now is an audition not just for the Bucs, but for the league’s watchful eyes. Bowles has made his bet. Brooks and Sanders must now prove, snap by snap, which one of them has the best chance to climb up the depth chart.