EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Veteran safety Tony Jefferson has come out of retirement to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced Friday.
The 32-year-old Jefferson had a tryout during the Chargers’ minicamp, which concluded Thursday.
The Chargers will be the fifth team for Jefferson. He made the Arizona Cardinals’ roster as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and has also played for the Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants. He joined the Ravens’ front office last year as an intern as part of the NFL’s Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship.
It’s yet another Ravens connection for the Chargers, who are led by coach Jim Harbaugh, younger brother of Ravens coach John Harbaugh, and general manager Joe Hortiz, who previously served as Baltimore’s director of player personnel. Los Angeles signed former Ravens running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards this offseason and hired former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman to serve in the same role. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter also coached four seasons in Baltimore.
Jefferson has played in 113 regular-season games over his 10-year career and started 67 with 9 1/2 sacks, four interceptions, 24 passes defensed, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He played with the Ravens from 2017 to 2019 after signing a four-year, $34 million deal to replace strong safety Lardarius Webb.
Jefferson gives the Chargers depth and experience in the secondary. Derwin James and Alohi Gilman are expected to be the starting safeties.
