Bucs safety Shilo Sanders claps for an incompletion where he also got a lick in on Tennessee quarterback Brandon Allen.
On Saturday night, Joe noticed something he’s never seen before. Prior to the game when well-connected fans and players’ families are allowed on the field during warmups, Joe saw Bucs safety Shilo Sanders playing catch with a little boy on the other side of the security tape.
And the way Sanders interacts daily with fans both at practice and on his large social media following, Joe is pretty sure Sanders engages and interacts with fans more than any player in recent memory since probably Gerald McCoy.
Walking through the bleachers when fans are at training camp, Joe often hears fans hollering for Sanders. When he makes a play, there is heartfelt applause.
Yeah, Sanders is an undrafted free agent. Bucs coach Todd Bowles still says Sanders has a chance to make the team.
Team officials always want to see a player improve, make progress. Sanders has done that in training camp. Joe’s seen this as Joe hasn’t missed a practice all summer.
Last night, wearing an NFL game uniform for the first time, facing a team with a different color jersey, Sanders admitted he got nervous.
“I was comfortable before the game,” Sanders said afterwards. “I got on the field, I was like, “Dang, this thing feels real.”
Sanders said it took a few plays, once he got his head into his assignments and popped pads with dudes in white jerseys, that it knocked out the butterflies and Sanders then settled into the game.
“It’s the NFL, not college,” Sanders said upon taking the field of The Licht House. “It’s Buccaneers. It’s the NFL. So that was a shock at first.”
Sanders is sort of a physical player. He can lay the wood on people. He does that in practice, too, and Sanders got a solid lick in on Tennessee quarterback Brandon Allen Saturday night.
Sanders told Joe after the game it is hard to practice physical football in the NFL, whereas in college, solid, strong hitting in practices is encouraged.
“Definitely,” Sanders responded when Joe asked him if physicality is one of his goals. “Well, I think I left, like, a few big hits on the field.
“You can’t really be that physical at practice, that’s different [than college]. You can hit and do all that. But in the NFL, you gotta take care of your teammates.”
Sanders added that his tackling angles will get better as will being able to track down ballcarriers.
“Then I could really just go full speed [and not think] and bring headaches every week,” Sanders said.
But first things first. He has to make the team. Sanders knows he’s not going to be a starter unless there are injuries. So he’s focused on playing special teams.
When Joe asked what position on special teams Sanders is looking at, he told Joe, “Everywhere.” He just wants to make the team and if the Bucs need help at any special teams position, he’s ready to bust his tail wherever the Bucs may need him.