
Imago
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Big 12 Media Days Jul 10, 2024 Las Vegas, NV, USA Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCandicexWardx 202407010_jhp_wb4_0182

Imago
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Big 12 Media Days Jul 10, 2024 Las Vegas, NV, USA Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCandicexWardx 202407010_jhp_wb4_0182
Shilo Sanders has basically been MIA ever since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released him before he could even get his NFL career off the ground. In the meantime, he’s been keeping himself busy. We’re talking about dropping a surprisingly successful music album, popping up on social media, and constantly chiming in on his brother Shedeur Sanders’ posts. So he’s still very much visible, just not on an NFL field.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
But here’s the part that really stings: we’re already heading into Week 12, and not a single NFL team has signed Shilo. And to make matters worse for the 25-year-old, the Jacksonville Jaguars just added a safety to their practice squad, and no, it wasn’t Shilo, even though he’s been sitting in free agency since before the season even kicked off.
On Monday, the Jags announced that they’ve signed the former Kansas City Chiefs‘ star, Juan Thornhill, to the practice squad. The Chiefs drafted Thornhill in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2019 NFL draft. He spent four seasons in KC, where he won a couple of Super Bowls before signing with the Cleveland Browns.
ADVERTISEMENT
The #Jaguars are signing veteran safety Juan Thornhill, who was recently released by Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/kEn9K5z4lJ
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 17, 2025
And let’s just say things haven’t exactly gotten easier for the veteran since then. He landed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Browns back in 2023, but his time in Cleveland was short-lived. After battling multiple injuries over just two seasons, the Browns ultimately decided to move on and released him.
Thornhill then signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season. But through 11 weeks, the veteran struggled despite his status as a starter. In nine games, the 30-year-old recorded 38 tackles (23 solo, 15 assisted), averaging about 4.2 per game. And after a brutal 25-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, where Thornhill had just one tackle, the Steelers decided to cut ties with him. Fast forward to now, and he just signed with the Jaguars.
ADVERTISEMENT
How will Juan Thornhill give extra depth to the Jaguars’ secondary?
Juan Thornhill has suited up in 96 career games, started in 75, and has totaled 370 tackles, 25 passes defensed, eight interceptions, seven quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, one touchdown, and 1.0 sack, as per the Jaguars’ official site.
ADVERTISEMENT
Which naturally makes you wonder: How will the 30-year-old add extra depth to the Jaguars’ secondary? For the time being, Thornhill is signed to the practice squad. However, the Jaguars can promote any practice-squad player to the active game-day roster up to three times during the 2025 season.
Right now, Eric Murray is on IR, and Antonio Johnson has been starting next to Andrew Wingard. Additionally, the Jaguars also like to use defensive packages that include three safeties on the field at once. That means only one thing: They need extra depth on the secondary. In short, if they ever feel thin at the position, Thornhill could be brought up to share his experience on the secondary. Will he? Won’t he? That we shall see.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

