Bob Sanders, the safety whose tremendous talent has been overshadowed by his inability to stay healthy, has been released by the Indianapolis Colts.
Colts owner Jim Irsay revealed the news on Twitter, using 140 characters to thank Sanders for his contributions to the Colts and note that Sanders had earned a Super Bowl ring, picked off a pass in the Super Bowl and won a defensive player of the year award during his time in Indianapolis.
When he was healthy, Sanders was nothing less than one of the best players in the NFL. He had an impact on the Colts’ defense that few players in the league could match, which is why at the end of the 2007 season he was named the NFL’s defensive player of the year and rewarded with a contract that made him the league’s highest-paid safety.
But he just hasn’t been able to stay on the field since then: In the last three seasons Sanders has played in nine regular-season games and missed 39.
Sanders knows he’s going to need to take a pay cut for his career to continue, and the Colts may still be able to re-sign him at a significantly reduced salary. But first he’ll test the free agent market. He’s free to sign, right now, with any team that’s willing to take a chance on a talented but injury-plagued former star.
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pick him up Pats!
thatll be a sweet pick up somewhere. he now has a chip on his shoulder…
I think the Colts have been very good with Bob. They kept him on the roster for 3 years despite injury problems and he’s earned top dollar.
Let Sanders test the market and if he cannot get any good offers, sign him back.
Redskins or Cowboys? History would dictate that either of these teams would waste money on him.
Sanders would’ve been willing to negotiate a pay cut with so Colts, so if they cut him instead, it sounds like they believe he can’t play anymore, or at least not anywhere near the level he once was.
Maybe the NFLPA can take out an advertisement against his body, telling it to “Let him play!”
He could make a great 2 game impact for any team.
Just saw a tweet by Gil Brandt: Sanders earned $25m for the 2007-2010 seasons, so yeah he’s earned well enough (and hopefully invested that intelligently)
Jerruh you’re a gambler. Roll the dice.
When that guy was right it was like watching a missile roaming the field. Unfortunately, his heart said yes and his body said no.
Welcome to San Diego Bob.
My inner dyslexic in saw “Cold Cuts Bob Sanders” which would be a tasty sandwich with a pop, but whose bread bun would end up splitting when it started to get really good.
Both Bob and his sandwich likeness require a fork. He’s done.
There are more than a few teams that would love to have this guy on their team at the right price.
Jets Please !!!! Lets see how many thumbs down this gets haha
Not a Colts fan, but I’ve always admired his talent.
Bob…take a pay cut. only a foolish team would pay top dollar (hello redskins?)… ugh. great talent BUT it doesn’t mean a whole lot when there are serious injuries involved.
In other news, Redskins One was seen hovering over Indianapolis with workers frantically trying to aim large sacks of money onto Bob Sanders’ front lawn.
The Jets will sign him.
Rick Smith….. Give our former division rival a call. We definitely need an upgrade at safety. I’ll take that chance with B. Sanders.
Come to Houston!
its about time Mr. Glass is cut
bring bob “the six billion dollar man” sanders to philly!
I’d take him on the Vikings in a heartbeat, as long as he doesn’t want an obscene contract. The guy is a monster and the Vikes could use the depth.
BTW, ny82jy, I gave you a thumbs down.
maybe he can replace Mikell in Philly! He can be the next Marlin Jackson, Stacey Andrews, etc. etc.
Great player – real pity he couldn’t stay healthy (I say that as a non-Colts fan, too)
Sanders won’t stay on the market long and will pull an above average deal. Nowhere near his old deal but way above average. Pittsburgh would be a great place for him to rehab
… Imagine him and Troy on the field together sweeeeeeet 
.
Saints should pick him up they took a chance on D.Sharper why not?
Chicago could use him to compete with Chris Harris and Major Wright. (Assuming we have a season.)
In the few healthy seasons he’s put together, this guy was, not just a playmaker, but a difference maker. I’m curious how much these injuries have robbed of his playmaking ability. It’s a bummer he’s probably missed more games over his career than he’s played. Luckily, Bullitt has emerged as a well above-average replacement (when healthy), along with Bethea holding down the other safety spot.
As a Colts fan, I’m hoping he gets back on the field somewhere, if not Indy.
Sanders playing under Leslie Frazier and the Vikings new defense would be perfect.
Vikings need a safety bad and run a similary style Tampa-2 defense. If only he could stay healthy he’d be a great addition to most teams.
He’s the Mike Hampton of the NFL. I’d have cut him too.
See: Glass, Mr.
Report: Bob Sanders tears his ACL cleaning out his locker.
Gawd so many posters are this site are morons. They are talking about what a great pickup Sanders would be, but he was CUT for playing so few games over the past THREE years due to injury. Hopefully most front offices are a tad smarter than their fans.
Didn’t even know he was still on the team.. He was barely in uniform!!
medtxpack says:
Feb 18, 2011 11:33 AM
thatll be a sweet pick up somewhere. he now has a chip on his shoulder…
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I think you mean he has a chipped shoulder
Come to Kansas City, Bob!! You and EB would be a dominate safety duo.
His style of play contributed to his many injuries. The only problem is as he aged his body started to break down. He’ll be 30 in a couple of days and I can someone taking a flier on him and since NFL contracts are not guaranteed where is the risk? Having said that I don’t see anyone lavishing too much money on a 30 year old safety when there are so many younger and cheaper players coming out of college
Breaking News, Sanders tears rotator cuff reading Polian’s twitter release. Out for training camp.
xxwhodatxx says: Feb 18, 2011 11:54 AM
Saints should pick him up they took a chance on D.Sharper why not?
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The difference is everyone thought D-Sharp lost a step, not his chin.
I hate to say this, but I think he is done, shoulder injuries get reinjured quite a bit just ask Chad Pennington, or probably Stafford in a few years.
He will probably make an exit similar to Culpepper, maybe two teams in two seasons and thats it, and its a shame, because he was a BEAST.
As a Patriots fan who is no stranger to battles with the Colts, I have a ton of respect for Bob Sanders and what he can do on the field. Yes, he is injury prone, but there’s not much a guy can do about a torn bicep like what has happened the past two seasons.
It’s not like he’s missed time for questionable hamstring problems or anything. I hope the Patriots make a run at him…you guys remember what happened the last time the Pats signed an injury prone 30 year old safety right? Rodney Harrison just came here and was a huge part of 2 Super Bowl championship teams. Hope history repeats itself!
Any team asking for Bob Sanders is basically saying, “we’ll pay you for no reason.” Sanders has heart, but his body and style of play aren’t made for each other.
I wish him the best though.
Any team can sign him and may be better off.. Like Henryd3rd said there is no risk involved.. He can’t play, you cut him.. He can, you have an all-pro safety at discount..
Troy Polamalu – meet your future.
Lets go Buddy Nix!!!! You signed Merrimann, might as well sign Sanders. We suck so take the chance.
Buffalo, pick this guy up! He would be a welcomed upgrade from D. Whiff-ner. Sanders in street clothes is still better him!
all of you have missread this. it is saying bob sanders was cut. and because of the cut that he recieved he will be on the ir. the cut is infected.
His lawyer emailed him the news. Bob separated his shoulder while using the mouse.
At the risk of sounding biased, I think this guy should go to the Bears. Similar defensive system, and a team that could use the help at safety. If they could get him at a reasonable price, he’d be worth the risk.
crap he has patriots written all over him
cup1981 says:
Feb 18, 2011 11:54 AM
Sanders won’t stay on the market long and will pull an above average deal. Nowhere near his old deal but way above average. Pittsburgh would be a great place for him to rehab … Imagine him and Troy on the field together sweeeeeeet .
You would have to imagine it since neither of them can stay healthy enough to play more than a few games a season.
How many times did his body communicate to his muscles (quite obvioulsy steroid infused muscles ) “I can’t take the steroid abuse you’ve given me over the years so I’ll just snap this tendon here or that one over there since, my skeletal structure is far too small for the gignatic FALSE muscles you installed into me?”
he is a another snapped tendon waiting to happen
medtxpack says:
Feb 18, 2011 11:33 AM
thatll be a sweet pick up somewhere. he now has a chip on his shoulder…
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Too bad that chip will result in a dislocation that will end his season early
this guy was the most non-soft player on one of the worst/softest defenses to win a super-bowl, but yet he only plays a couple games a season. what happened to the hard-nosed safties like John Lynch, Dawkins, Atwater, etc..
Injury prone free agent? Welcome to Philly’s IR.
Dude’s a porcelain doll…..He missed 39 games, that’s a career for the average NFL player…Why would anybody sign him?
Leslie Frazier and Sanders already have a previous relationship since Frazier was the DB coach the year the Colts won the Superbowl. I bet it wouldn’t take much for Frazier to call up Tony Dungy and influence Sanders to play in Minnesota. Sanders would come with no risk. Add him to Antoine Winfield and they would be one if the best tackling DB units in the league.
Come on guys, this one’s got Redskins or Raiders written all over it.
Looks like a perfect guy to pick up for the Raiders, Redskins or VikQueens!
I wonder if he fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces when he got the news…
This dude is a china doll. I can’t believe all the dopes on this site want him on there team. He’s over the hill. What good is the guy if he doesn’t play at all?