The Indianapolis Colts need their defense to be very good in 2025. The offense has good skill position players, but the quality of the quarterback play is unknown. Even if QB1 Daniel Jones is good in Week 1, there is no guarantee he will be good in Week 3.
In other words, the defense needs to be high-quality and have lots of depth. Presuming starters to remain healthy for a full season is foolish, and most teams win with younger players who tend to stay healthier than aging veterans. This is where Shilo Sanders could come in.
The Colorado Buffalo product (and, as we all know, Deion Sanders' son that isn't named Shedeur) was recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as part of roster cuts. Sanders is a pure safety who lacks elite play-making abilities. He takes weird angles in coverage, too.
Chances of Shilo Sanders coming to the Indianapolis Colts are slim
But there is another way that head coach Shane Steichen could use Sanders: As a nickelback. This doesn't mean Sanders should be added to the active roster, but the team could sign him to the practice squad and let him learn his new spot before needing to be counted on in real games.
Here is why it won't happen, though. First, Steichen doesn't make the roster decisions; general manager Chris Ballard does. Still, if Steichen, along with new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, thought that Shilo Sanders would be a great project who could one day be a great role player, Ballard might listen to them.
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The real truth is that Indy seems not to have any real clue about their cornerback room. Maybe Sanders, who is 6-feet and 200 pounds, would stick at safety and play a role on special teams, but the Colts' safety group is pretty solid currently. Maybe Indy signs Sanders to the practice squad in hopes he learns what he needs to do to be a good pro.
Deion Sanders was a great player himself, of course, and maybe he is a decent football coach, but he doesn't seem to have known how to prepare Shedeur and Shilo for the NFL. Both appeared ill-equipped to handle football life without dad.
But Indianapolis Colts fans need not worry about the team signing Shilo Sanders. The biggest reason is that even though Indy had players like Alex Johnson who could play nickelback, the team let them go when final roster cuts were made. Indy's corners could be a mess this year, and the safeties might too, with any injuries. Shilo Sanders won't help with that.