The National Football League is a young men’s league. There is constant roster turnover and an injection of youth in every team. However, some guys just stick around or in this case, retire and come back just to show the rest of the NFL they are not finished. Former Ravens safety Tony Jefferson is back with the Chargers, proving to the front office that he can still play at the age of 32. His preseason week three performance against the Dallas Cowboys may just have forced the hand of the Chargers to make tougher decisions than initially thought.
Tony Jefferson Comes Out of Retirement and Dominates The Preseason
How Does Tony Jefferson Make This Roster – What Does The Veteran Bring?
The San Diego native, Tony Jefferson may be an aging player who likely is a one-year veteran rental. Nonetheless, his presence might be exactly what is needed on this young Chargers defense. The former Ravens safety showed his extreme versatility both throughout his career and this preseason, using his football IQ and veteran knowledge to break on interceptions and create havoc in the backfield. Although he did not play last season, he was close to football, working as a scouting intern with the Ravens under current Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz.
After his final preseason performance, it’s hard to see how the Chargers can watch that and ignore it in favor of another option. Jefferson recorded a whopping 14 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss, and two interceptions. A total monster game, one that could absolutely lead to a roster spot.
The Competition On The Chargers Preseason Roster
When it pertains to roster construction, the average team carries 10.2 defensive backs across their roster, according to a recent study done by Reddit user BearsGotKhalilMack. This would allow the Chargers to keep their starting DBs of Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, Kristian Fulton, Asante Samuel Jr, and Ja’Sir Taylor. Obvious roster locks outside of the starting group are rookies Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, as well as up-coming young DBs Deane Leonard and AJ Finley. This is a total of nine DBs. That leaves one spot open for another defensive back. The race for the last spot is seemingly a three-man race, and each individual has their own interesting case.
Former Day Two Draft Selection – JT Woods
Back in 2022, the Los Angeles Chargers drafted JT Woods in the third round. They hoped that his size and speed combination would be enough to have him succeed in the NFL. Unfortunately, he has yet to put it all together due to missed playing time and, when on the field, a lack of performance. Woods’ performance has been so disappointing that this new regime is now trying him out as an outside cornerback to increase his value. This move has been too recent to give it a true proper evaluation. Regardless, it is enough to tell us that he is likely to be cut due to a lack of any standout performances across his time in the NFL.
Woods has improved this preseason, showing out with seven tackles and a pass deflection in this recent preseason game. He still is without anyone from the previous regime left to vouch for the athletic safety, his time is very likely up. It seems he has been on borrowed time since the signing of Tony Jefferson. His only chance to make the roster is if this new coaching staff believes they can truly get the best out of the Baylor product. Sometimes the ego of the coaching staff can get in the way of the right decision. Look at the Trey Lance trade. However, in Woods’ case, the cloudy judgment argument is likely to fall on a clear sky.
Consistent Performer – Thomas Harper
The undrafted rookie free agent, Thomas Harper, has been consistent throughout his entire time with the Chargers, even dating back to when he first was signed. The Notre Dame safety had an incredible preseason week two performance, enough to warrant media attention for his possible roster spot. In a previous article highlighting Harper, I discuss his reasoning for his chance of making this roster. “With an incredible 77.0 defensive grade throughout the two preseason games and splash plays showing up on tape, Harper is really closing in on the safety four spot. He also brings quite a bit of upside with his 7.92 RAS score and ability to play both safety and slot cornerback. The versatility is something that Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter values.”
Unfortunately, Harper, in preseason week three, did not record any statistics. This is the worst possible time to fizzle out, and he opened the door for Tony Jefferson to swoop in at the last minute and take his spot. This roster cutdown day is going to be quite the eventful one, and cutting Harper in favor of Jefferson may be one of the toughest decisions that Hortiz will have to make.
Main Image: Jonathan Hui – USA Today Sports
