It seems like Shilo Sanders’ life follows the ‘never say never’ mantra. Although he got cut from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had shown enough talent in the preseason for the rest of the NFL to judge his work. However, halfway through the regular season, the rookie free agent hasn’t heard his phone ring. But turns out there might be an opening for a final shot. 

“The Lions are looking for help at safety and defensive line,” according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Entering the season, the Detroit Lions featured two of the top safeties in the NFL– free safety Brian Branch and strong safety Kerby Joseph. After them, though, the backup is not as experienced, which begs the question: What happens when they are not playing?

Well, the nightmare began in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After their Week 6 loss at Arrowhead Stadium, the NFL’s top safety, Branch, was suspended by the league over his postgame incident after the game. Hence, he was not in the lineup for the W7 win before the bye. But that wasn’t the only scare for the Lions.

Joseph has been nursing a lingering knee injury for months now, and he was also absent from the lineup versus the Bucs. In fact, he missed his second straight game in Week 9 against the Vikings after a bye week. Joining him on the inactive list previously were safeties Jammie Robinson and Erick Hallett II. Daniel Thomas was questionable due to his forearm.

While Branch returned with a chip on his shoulder against Minnesota, there’s a clear requirement in the secondary for the Lions with the small roster. That’s exactly where Shilo Sanders could come in.

The Bucs cut the safety after he threw a punch at the Buffalo Bills’ TE Zach Davidson during the preseason finale. However, with what we saw in the camps and preseason, many believed that he could be on the final 53-man roster for the team. Things changed after the incident, but he has found his doors open time and again with the Steelers and the 49ers. However, both turned him down.

Now, his final shot might be in Detroit.

Branch, in Detroit, is one of their most versatile players, known for his ball-hawking ability. If we were to draw a parallel, Sanders, too, possesses that quality with a penchant for hard-hitting secondary play.

Without dependable depth at safety, the Lions’ success is at risk due to Branch’s heavy workload and Joseph’s injury. Defensive backfield plays require communication, trust, and smooth rotation; the drop-off can be severe when the starter is out. This could hurt Detroit’s deep middle coverage and run defense. In a season where every defensive backfield snap matters, adding a safety like Shilo Sanders might cover a critical void and offer security.

Already, he’s proven his abilities at the collegiate level.

He had one interception – an 80-yard pick-six – a sack, five pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in 21 games at Colorado from 2023 to 2024. At Jackson State in 2021, he registered 39 tackles, four interceptions, seven pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He suffered a torn ACL the following season, limiting him to seven games with 20 tackles and an interception.

Now, while he did get his shots with the Steelers and the Niners, Shilo hasn’t been able to grab those opportunities.

Steelers and 49ers move on from Shilo Sanders

Although they never promised to bring him in, the Pittsburgh Steelers closed all doors, signing veteran safety Darrick Forrest to their practice squad. Darrick Forrest, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, has made 40 appearances in his career, including 17 starts. His 2022 campaign with Washington was his best when he recorded 88 combined tackles, four interceptions, and nine passes defended.

The move follows injuries in Pittsburgh’s secondary and reflects the club’s preference for established NFL players over rookies. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers did call Sanders for some sessions right after he was cut from the Bucs, but they did not go ahead with him. Reportedly, they are more comfortable trading starter Ji’Ayir Brown for a Day 3 pick.

Drafted in the third round (87th overall) in 2023, Ji’Ayir Brown finished his rookie season with 35 combined tackles with 22 solo, four pass deflections, and two interceptions in 15 games and five starts. He participated in 17 games with 13 starts last season, totaling 77 combined tackles and one interception. He has recorded 22 combined and 15 solo tackles in 8 games and 4 starts this season.

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Previously, the New England Patriots also required a safety. However, instead of calling up Sanders, they signed John Saunders Jr. out of the Miami Dolphins. He was also an undrafted player.

With the teams already moving on, the clock is ticking for Shilo Sanders. But as he has said multiple times before, if the NFL doesn’t come calling, he’s flirted with the idea of heading to Hollywood. It will be interesting to see where, and if, he does land back in the NFL.