Chargers News: Joe Hortiz Favorite Trying Out for LA

Will he make the team?

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former Baltimore Ravens safety Tony Jefferson has announced he is coming out of retirement and seeking to play in the NFL in 2024 again.

Jefferson has already earned a tryout with the Los Angeles Chargers during their minicamp, and reportedly has other teams interested as well, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

Source: Former #Ravens safety Tony Jefferson will tryout for the #Chargers during their upcoming minicamp.

Jefferson, who grew up in San Diego, is coming out of retirement and has a few teams interested. New Bolts GM Joe Hortiz was previously in Baltimore with Jefferson. pic.twitter.com/GWKdPzRcrB

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 3, 2024

Jefferson initially retired during the spring of 2023, and joined the Ravens in a scouting role before recently deciding he wanted to play again. The former undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma spent nearly a decade in the NFL. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals from 2013-16, before heading to the Baltimore Ravens from 2017-19. Jefferson was out of football in 2020, but played for the San Francisco 49ers and Ravens in 2021, and then the New York Giants in 2022.

Through his career so far, Jefferson tallied 492 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 24 pass breakups, and four interceptions.

He of course has connections to the Chargers after playing under current Bolts general manager Joe Hortiz, who has already brought on plenty of former Ravens to the team.

The Chargers have two starting safeties in Derwin James and Alohi Gilman. Gilman recently signed a two-year contract extension at the beginning of the season. Still, Jefferson could add depth for the team in the case of injury or if the defense wants to run alternative packages with multiple safeties. If they are uninterested after Jefferson's tryout but still want to add safety help to the roster, there are still multiple safeties available on the market including Micah Hyde, Jayron Kearse, Jamal Adams, and Justin Simmons. They also could look at depth they already have on the team, like undrafted free agent Akeem Dent.

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