Bob Sanders' Status Hasn’t Changed Yet
Recently, there were reports that there’s some concern that safety Bob Sanders might not play again due to injuries and because he had renegotiated his contract. However, his agent Tom Condon and the Indianapolis Colts denied the report.
Condon, who represents Sanders, told an Indianapolis newspaper that the two-time Pro Bowler, who has struggled with shoulder and bicep injuries in the previous two seasons, doesn't have any new problems. He also said that his client’s contract situation hasn’t changed.
A team spokesman agreed, saying, "Nothing has changed since June."
Sanders has played only a total of eight games the past two seasons. He is one of the league’s best safety's when he’s healthy. However, that hasn’t been the case in recent memory.
"It's fun to get out there and compete and enjoy the weather," said Sanders, the 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "This is the first time I've been able to do OTAs in years. I've always been rehabbing a lot and spending a lot of time in the training room. It feels great to not go into the training room and going into the weight room."
Sanders signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract extension in December 2007.
Now that those rumors have been put to rest you have to wonder what would happen if Sanders continues to fall victim to the injury bug. The Colts already have their share of financial work this coming season as they have to work on resigning future Hall-of-Famer Peyton Manning to a very hefty contract.
Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis have also expressed a desire for new long-term deals and have even sat out some of the team’s offseason organized team activities (OTAs). It’s unlikely that the two will get new deals this year though, as there is uncertainty involving the labor situation in the NFL.
If Sanders were to suffer another big injury this season, the Colts may have to face the possibility of releasing Sanders or trading him. After all, it’s hard to pay a big salary when you don’t have the guy earning that salary on the field.
The Colts have also proven that they can win without Sanders. He played very little in 2009 ,yet the Colts went 14-2 and made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Did his absence finally catch up to them in the championship game? Perhaps, but don’t forget the fact that the Colts scored only 17 points. We must say only 17 points because this is the Colts we’re talking about here.
Hopefully, Sanders can stay healthy this year and prove that he is still an elite safety in the league. When we’ve seen him play, we’ve seen how valuable he is to the defence. While he may be one of the smaller defensive players in the league at only 5 foot 8 and 206 pounds, he is also quick and deceivingly strong. When he is there, his presence is definitely felt.
Now, he’ll have the chance to prove that he didn’t miss a step in what seemed like an eternal absence these past two seasons.
If Sanders undergoes more injury problems though, the Colts may have to make a cold business move and dump his salary or trade him to a team that can use his potential Pro Bowl play on the field.
This season will tell us a lot about many Colts players and where they’ll stand heading into the next decade. Sanders has to stay healthy this time though, and his leadership on defence may be what the Colts need to return to the Super Bowl and win it this time.
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