The Buffalo Bills released a few players yesterday, including veteran safety Bacarri Rambo. That opened up a spot on the depth chart that’ll be filled by someone that most prognosticators would have had relegated to the practice squad, but the Bills have a few guys who fit that description. One of them is an undrafted free agent from FCS school Nicholls State.
Name: B.T. Sanders
# 47
Position: S
Height/Weight: 6’0, 195 lbs.
Experience: R
College: Nicholls State
Draft: UDFA (2017)
Financial Situation (per Spotrac): Sanders is on a standard three-year UDFA deal. He’s set to make $465k this season with $90k raises in each of the next two seasons. There is no dead cap hit if the Bills release him.
2016 Recap: Sanders started eight games for the 5-6 Colonels, missing three games but still finishing with 56 tackles. He saved his best performances for the team’s biggest opponents, finishing with eight tackles in a two-point loss to Georgia (not Georgia State or Georgia Southern, the University of Georgia) and a season-high 13 tackles with his only interception in a one-point loss to another FBS opponent in Southern Alabama.
Positional Outlook: The surprising release of Rambo (possibly due to injury) has opened up a roster spot at safety, where Sanders will be competing with the likes of Trae Elston and Joe Powell. It’s also possible (but very unlikely) that the Bills could dump all three and carry and extra cornerback.
2017 Offseason: Sanders played 39 snaps over the first two preseason games, notching two tackles in the preseason-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, Sanders only saw two special teams snaps in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens. When Rambo left the game in the final drive, Sean McDermott opted to give E.J. Gaines some time at safety over playing Sanders or Powell (Elston missed the game with an injury).
2017 Season Outlook: Unless his injury is severe, Elston is probably the safest bet for the 53 right now. Sanders could have a chance at it, and a strong game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday would help a great deal, but at this point he’s probably headed for the practice squad.