When the Colts did what team president Bill Polian said the team would never do and cut safety Bob Sanders, the best argument against severing ties with the 2007 NFL defensive player of the year came from the possibility that Sanders’ injuries had been the product of one of the worst runs of bad luck in the history of pro sports -- and from the possibility that the Colts would have to deal with a healthy Sanders twice per year as a member of the Texans, Titans, or Jaguars.
As Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune explains it, there’s a chance that Sanders will be looking not only to a different division but also to a different conference.
Sanders played for the Colts when Vikings coach Leslie Frazier served as a key assistant to Tony Dungy. Frazier now is the first-year coach in Minnesota, and the Vikings could use an upgrade over Madieu Williams, Husain Abdullah, and/or Tyrell Johnson. The obvious dots connect in a manner that brings Sanders to the Twin Cities.
The key question is whether Sanders can stay healthy. Another big challenge comes from devising a way to pay Sanders in light of his injury history. In lieu of large signing or roster bonuses, devices like the per-game roster bonus would help protect the team while also compensating Sanders if he can suit up and play.
In three years, Sanders has played in only nine games. He suffered a torn biceps tendon in Week One of the 2010 season. The Colts held a spot for him throughout much of the season before placing him on injured reserve.