Zebrie Sanders

[Logic]

It seems quite clear to me that the team used the Injured Reserve designation as a sort of loophole to stash Sanders on the roster for a year without having to use up a roster spot. One minute he's fine and playing a bunch of snaps against Detroit, the next minute he (without having any sort of injury announced) is placed on injured reserve.

Personally, I feel that it seems clear as day that the team wanted him for the long term but didn't feel comfortable subjecting him to waivers. I can't say I disagree with their thinking. Sam Young will certainly be of more help in the event of injury to our starters than Sanders would be. Still, the staff must have seen something to make them believe he'll be a good player down the line. More than likely, he needs to hit the weight room and learn his playbook.

The Bills are not the only team to do this. Demps, the olympic sprinter who signed with the Pats, recently tweeted that his injury was very minor and that he would be fine. Next thing ya know, he's on IR. This is definitely something that teams take advantage of in order to stash a guy on their roster. I can't help but wonder how the NFL feels about this type of thing...

[Sniper]

Sanders was playing in the last series in the 4th Quarter. I am not even sure he was hurt.

[mrr0622]

They tried this with Eddins last year. Eddins ended up winning some settlement. Then nobody wanted him anyway.

[wppete]

I wonder if he can make the move to guard?

[mars101]

I felt the exact same way lol Like I know I saw him playing, IR? I agree with it. He needs a little more time to develop and put on a few more pounds. Chris Hairston and Sanders for RT in future.

[intimidatortj]

Totally agree. The Bills stashed him. He didn't look injured to me the last preseason game.
Also agree Sam Young was playing better and Zebrie was not ready to contribute this year.

Maybe he can improve....but like all OLinemen that end up on practice squads or IR as rookies, it is a long shot they pan out.

[WhenTheFitzHitsTheChan]

I wonder if he can make the move to guard?

I don't think he has the nastiness to be a guard. I've watched him his whole career and haven't seen it. Hell, I didn't even think he was that great of a tackle to be honest.

[Billsnation2010]

Sanders was solid all through OTA's when I went to the 4 I went to, he was an imoveable force out there and I think down the road will be a bookend RT with Glenn being our bookend LT for many years to come.

[rhinocoach]

So I have to wonder if Tank Carder was as good a pick as advertised?
If OBD chooses to hoard O-linemen (Which I heartily endorse) over LBrs Sanders must be a better player.

[Soda Popinski]

If he was so good how is it he couldn't get a roster spot?

[TigerJ]

Absolutely. Not that Sanders didn't stub his toe or something. The league rules don't specify how serious an injury has to be for a player to end up on IR, only that he be injured. Teams do this alll the time.

[TigerJ]

If he was so good how is it he couldn't get a roster spot?

He's not that good at this point. The Bills think he has the athleticism to become good. He needs to get stronger and a lot more proficient with his blocking technique. If the Bills are right, then next year he might be worthy of a roster spot.

[Terminator]

It seems quite clear to me that the team used the Injured Reserve designation as a sort of loophole to stash Sanders on the roster for a year without having to use up a roster spot. One minute he's fine and playing a bunch of snaps against Detroit, the next minute he (without having any sort of injury announced) is placed on injured reserve.

Personally, I feel that it seems clear as day that the team wanted him for the long term but didn't feel comfortable subjecting him to waivers. I can't say I disagree with their thinking. Sam Young will certainly be of more help in the event of injury to our starters than Sanders would be. Still, the staff must have seen something to make them believe he'll be a good player down the line. More than likely, he needs to hit the weight room and learn his playbook.




The Bills are not the only team to do this. Demps, the olympic sprinter who signed with the Pats, recently tweeted that his injury was very minor and that he would be fine. Next thing ya k
now, he's on IR. This is definitely something that teams take advantage of in order to stash a guy on their roster. I can't help but wonder how the NFL feels about this type of thing...

The Raiders did the same thing with the rookie kicker they drafted. Man I was hoping they would cut that kid. I figured since they have one of the best kickers in the league already, Janakowski, they would be forced to cut the rookie. Instead they hid him on IR. If that kid hit the waiver wire he would be claimed in a New York second.
Everyone one of his kick offs goes through the end zone for a touchback, just like Potter. The difference is he's not just a kick off specialist, he makes 56 yard field goals with EASE. He makes 50 yarders like they are an extra point. What a leg!! He even kicked a 56 yarder off the DIRT on the Raiders junky field. That kick would have been good from I would estimate 65 yards, 60 for sure. The Raiders knew they couldn't hide him on the practice squad. He would have been signed off there in a heartbeat.

[WilliamsWreckingCrew]

It seems quite clear to me that the team used the Injured Reserve designation as a sort of loophole to stash Sanders on the roster for a year without having to use up a roster spot. One minute he's fine and playing a bunch of snaps against Detroit, the next minute he (without having any sort of injury announced) is placed on injured reserve.

Personally, I feel that it seems clear as day that the team wanted him for the long term but didn't feel comfortable subjecting him to waivers. I can't say I disagree with their thinking. Sam Young will certainly be of more help in the event of injury to our starters than Sanders would be. Still, the staff must have seen something to make them believe he'll be a good player down the line. More than likely, he needs to hit the weight room and learn his playbook.

The Bills are not the only team to do this. Demps, the olympic sprinter who signed with the Pats, recently tweeted that his injury was very minor and that he would be fine. Next thing ya know, he's on IR. This is definitely something that teams take advantage of in order to stash a guy on their roster. I can't help but wonder how the NFL feels about this type of thing...

Sanders is another example of a highly touted prospect whose stock has nosedived since the beginning of the year. Before the draft Sanders was being touted as a top NFL tackle prospect, one that could be drafted as high as the late first round on some draft sites. But then apparently he had a bad senior bowl or combine and his stock continued to plummet, which led us to him taking him in the 5th round. A move that was praised as a steal by a lot of NFL talking heads that graded our draft.

Regardless of all that it's clear Sanders is very raw so by placing him on IR, it was just another way of 'redshirting' without taking a risk of losing him to another team by cutting him and putting him on the PS.

The only problem with being on IR though is I'm pretty sure NFL rules mandate that IR players are not allowed to practice or workout with their teams during the season.

But obviously the front office wasn't too concerned about this since they know Sanders is very raw and nowhere close to being ready to contribute this season. Either that or the simply didn't want to look bad for releasing both of their 5th round picks from this past Aprils draft. Obviously Carder was already released and picked up by the Browns

[bingbillsfan]

The Chiefs did the exact same thing with Alex Tanney. No known injury, but was placed on IR for safe keeping. I would have loved to do that with him, especially with the fiasco we have had at qb this preseason.

[hemma]

Decided to bump this one & take a break from Fitz/Smith/Barkley threads.

Time is winding down on Levitre and I think the odds of him coming back are < 50%. Pretty sure he'll be 7 ... 7.5 mill and not sure the Bills will want to tie up that much with big needs at QB/WR/LB and some would say Safety & CB.

Now Coaching staff so it's tough to guess what may happen, but I think Sanders will be in the mix, somewhere.
May even see Glenn moved inside to LG, Pears at RT and Hairston at LT and Sanders as the swing.

Anyway, something different to discuss/argue about.

[MarioBilliams]

hopefully zebrie can step up he was my 2012 bill :/ looking forward to who i will snag for the 2013 series

[Black_Russian]

I just saw him, he is still in his 3 point stance

[hemma]

I just saw him, he is still in his 3 point stance

Nah ... you probably saw Jasper and got confused.

[Luka_GoBills]

I just saw him, he is still in his 3 point stance

I giggled.