Safety Tony Jefferson had a resurgence this past season with the Los Angeles Chargers. According to the NFL Spotlight w/Ari Meirov podcast, after retiring in 2023 and working in scouting for the Ravens, Jefferson still had an itch to get back on the field. So he tried out for the team during Chargers mandatory minicamp in June, and even though he claimed he was out of shape, still made the team and went through training camp.
Tony Jefferson’s 2024 For The Los Angeles Chargers
Jefferson made some noise during the Chargers third preseason game against Dallas with an interception during the second quarter on Dallas’ third-string quarterback Trey Lance. He also had another in the third, catching the ball in the end zone and running all the way to the 12-yard line. In addition to being a ballhawk during that game, he brought the pass rush, and sacked Lance. Though Jefferson made the initial 53-man roster, he was cut, and found a home on the practice squad. Luckily he got some game time later in the season.
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Daniel Popper of The Athletic noted Jefferson’s impact during the Week 13 game against the Falcons where he “blew up” wide receiver Drake London “on his way to a run stuff of Falcons running back Bijan Robinson,” as well as “stonewalled a screen to receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, driving through the block of tight end Charlie Woerner.”
Popper said during that Falcons matchup that Jefferson actually helped safety Derwin James Jr. as “Jefferson allowed Minter to deploy James at nickel, close to the line of scrimmage, where he can be his most impactful. James had stuffs on two third-and-1 rushing attempts. He was at nickel on both plays.”
Jefferson had similar aggressive play during the Wild Card game, where in the first drive of the third quarter he stripped the ball from Texans running back Joe Mixon and retained it. Having played for many teams over the course of his career, Jefferson is one of those security blankets on the field and will make an impact if given the chance.
Chargers Free Agents: Should They Re-Sign Jefferson
On Meirov’s podcast Jefferson said that he had already spoken with the Chargers and they know that he wants to come back to LA, so he hopes they can get a deal done. Considering the injuries in the secondary this past season, the Chargers could benefit from having Jefferson’s presence for at least a one-year contract.
Having him a little deeper down the depth chart would probably be best, as this way players like James and safety Alohi Gilman can still be the main pieces, but Jefferson could be there to lay the hammer down if needed during a game. Though Jefferson is at the age where he may not be starting, he’s still capable of really productive play, and it would be great to see him in powder blue this season.