Another NFL Team Signs a Safety as Walls Close In on Shilo Sanders’ Career

The Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off a quick one-two punch this week, releasing veteran safety Darnell Savage on Tuesday before immediately filling his roster spot Wednesday. Former GM Trent Baalke had signed Savage during the 2024 offseason, but the experiment didn’t last long. The team wasted no time bringing in Kahlef Hailassie from Minnesota’s practice squad to take over the 53-man roster spot.

Wednesday brought bad news for Shilo Sanders when the Jacksonville Jaguars officially announced they’ve signed safety Kahlef Hailassie. The team’s statement was straightforward—they needed defensive backfield depth and found their answer elsewhere. Hailassie was recently on Minnesota’s practice squad after spending two seasons with Cleveland, where he played 10 games, recorded six tackles, and had one pass deflection. He originally broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs before moving to the Browns.

Jacksonville’s addition of Kahlef Hailassie brings versatility to their defensive backfield, but it also tightens an already competitive safety market across the league. The Jaguars listed Hailassie as a safety, though he primarily played outside cornerback at Western Kentucky and during his NFL stint. That flexibility gives defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile more options in his three-safety packages.

Andrew Wingard and Eric Murray hold down the starting spots, but Campanile has been rotating multiple safeties through his schemes in the first two games. Darnell Savage filled that role with 48 defensive snaps before getting cut. Now Antonio Johnson appears primed to step into that spot, having competed with Savage and Wingard for starting duties this summer. Johnson brings more experience than Rayuan Lane and understands the defensive system better than newcomer Hailassie. The new signing will likely focus on depth and special teams initially, similar to Lane’s current role. But every roster addition like this creates a domino effect throughout the league.

For players like Shilo Sanders, still searching for opportunities after his Tampa Bay release, moves like Jacksonville’s signing roster represent closing doors. Sanders threw away his Buccaneers chance when he punched Buffalo’s Zach Davidson during preseason, getting ejected and eventually cut. Each team that fills safety spots with other players makes Sanders’ path back to the NFL steeper.  The league keeps moving forward while Sanders watches from the sidelines. Every signing announcement serves as another reminder that second chances in professional football are increasingly rare.

Every roster move like this shrinks Sanders’ already limited options. Teams are filling safety spots with players who don’t carry the baggage of preseason ejections and disciplinary issues. The Jaguars had a clear need in the secondary but chose an unspectacular journeyman over taking a chance on Sanders’ talent. The writing on the wall keeps getting clearer. Sanders’ NFL window is rapidly closing, and moves like Jacksonville’s signing only make his path back to the league that much steeper. When Jacksonville inked Kahlef Hailassie to their roster, another NFL door slammed shut for Shilo Sanders. With teams filling safety spots around the league, Sanders made his choice – trading shoulder pads for YouTube stardom.

Shilo Sanders pivots to YouTube stardom after NFL dreams fade

Two weeks of social media silence spoke volumes after Tampa Bay cut Shilo Sanders during roster reductions. The former Colorado standout went completely dark on his platforms, which was jarring for someone with over 200,000 YouTube subscribers and a naturally outgoing personality. His absence felt deliberate, as if he were processing what comes next after his NFL window slammed shut.

His return to YouTube signals a potential career pivot that Colorado fans are buzzing about. The latest video showcases Shilo’s natural charisma as he visits a Vietnamese restaurant in Florida, delivering a spot-on impression of his dad, Coach Prime. His street interview style feels authentic and engaging— the kind of content that translates into viral moments. The fan response tells the whole story. “Shilo needs to be acting. I can see him in a movie or a sitcom or something,” reads the top comment on his video. That sentiment captures what many see—untapped entertainment potential beyond the gridiron. Shilo teased more vlogs by asking viewers where he should go next, suggesting he’s testing the waters for a full content creation career.

During previous videos, Sanders admitted his priority remains finding another NFL opportunity, but he’s keeping other doors open. Those options include podcasting, reality TV like his father’s, brand partnerships, or even music, since he’s hinted at rapping and DJ interests. Shilo’s pivot to content creation might be exactly what he needs. His personality always seemed bigger than football anyway, and this new path lets him control his own narrative.