On Day 1 of Bucs rookie minicamp, Shilo Sanders showed up without even having a team-issued login code. “I ain’t got no code yet,” he told reporters, laughing. But behind the bravado is a player facing a very real uphill climb to make Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster — one that’s less about name recognition and more about proving NFL value in a crowded and talented secondary.

The former Colorado safety signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent, inking a standard three-year, $2.96 million deal after going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the deal sounds promising, the guaranteed money is minimal. Sanders will have to shine in training camp and likely make his mark on special teams if he hopes to stick around by Week 1.

However, his role in Tampa’s secondary is still a bit of a mystery. Why? Well, the Bucs already have Antoine Winfield Jr. back there—a Pro Bowler and one of the best in the league. No question, he’s locked in as a starter for 2025. And as per the reports, that means only one thing: free safety is the only likely available spot for Sanders on Todd Bowles‘ secondary.

The Bucs’ depth chart offers little in the way of clear openings. The franchise just made Winfield Jr. the highest-paid defensive back in league history, signing him to a four-year, $84.1 million extension with $45 million guaranteed. In 2023, Winfield racked up 122 tackles, six sacks, six forced fumbles, and three interceptions, showcasing his ability to affect every level of the field.

But labeling Winfield as strictly a free safety oversimplifies his value in Bowles’ scheme. He regularly shifts between free safety, strong safety, and even nickel in sub-packages. That means any opportunity for Sanders could open at either safety spot, depending on personnel and matchups.

Second-year safety Kaevon Merriweather, a former undrafted gem from Iowa who broke through late last season, is expected to push for a starting role alongside Winfield.

His résumé, you ask? Well, if we take a look at Shilo’s last couple of seasons at Colorado…let’s just say, it is kind of a mixed bag. After transferring to Colorado to join his dad and brother, the guy led the team with 70 tackles, forced four fumbles, and snagged an 80-yard pick-six against Colorado State in his 2023 season.

However, his last season was cut short due to an arm injury. But despite missing a few games, Shilo managed to rack up 67 tackles, a sack, and return a fumble for a touchdown against Texas Tech. Though his track record didn’t help him much in the 2025 NFL draft, considering the guy remained undrafted. But now that he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bucs, Shilo Sanders managed to make quite an impression on the Bucs’ head coach, Todd Bowles.

Todd Bowles believes that Shilo Sanders is very intelligent

The Bucs started their rookie mini-camp on May 9th. From their first-round pick Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State, to Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame, rookies are out there to prove their worth and to make their way to the 53-man roster by week 1. And amidst this, Shilo Sanders stood out, as the guy just inked a three-year rookie deal. And Coach Bowles knows it very well.

“Like the rest of the safeties, he’s very intelligent, he’s very loud,” Bowles said. “You can hear him (on the field), making calls and everything, so he has a good grasp of things Day 1. There was about three or four of them that did. He was one of them, but you have to make plays in pads. That’s what it comes down to – knowing what to do and then doing it consistently and constantly getting better every day.” 

Todd Bowles’ secondary in the 2024 season was a total mess—injuries everywhere, shaky depth, and way too many busted coverages. Winfield Jr. missed out on a significant part of the season. To make it even worse, Jordan Whitehead was in a car accident on his way to the Bucs’ practice facility. Tampa utilized 12 different secondary combinations last season and was ranked almost at the bottom in pass defense.

No wonder Bowles and his crew were out there making moves to bolster their secondary ahead of the 2025 campaign. And one of ’em was adding Shilo Sanders as an undrafted free agent. Sure, he isn’t getting much spotlight like his brother. But it doesn’t affect the Bucs as long as the 25-year-old is giving ’em good results. After getting a little shoutout from the head coach, Sanders surely knows how to make a good impression in front of the media.

“Man, look at where we’re at,” he said. “Look at the whole coaching staff. It’s a really supportive coaching staff. Everybody wants to see everybody do good. Everybody on the team, we all want to see each other win. It’s a great environment to thrive in.” Coming with a famous surname, and being a member of the secondary, the guy’s often compared to his dad. But one thing’s for sure: Shilo Sanders is out there to make a name for himself.