3 biggest winners from Chargers' joint practice with Saints

JT Woods

JT Woods is not quite to the level of Kenneth Murray in terms of fan disappointment but there were definitely higher expectations for the safety in his rookie season. Taken in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Woods had a lot of hype around him because of his athleticism and how Brandon Staley could potentially unlock that.

In reality, Woods simply was not ready in his rookie season. The Chargers viewed Woods as a developmental prospect and that was on full display during his rookie year. Woods hardly played and when he did play he did not play very well.

If all goes as planned, Woods should be able to take on a bigger role in the defense in 2023. The second-year safety is going to have to take on a bigger role as the Chargers did not replace Nasir Adderley in the draft or in free agency.

Add in the fact that Alohi Gilman is dealing with some kind of leg injury in training camp and it is clear that Woods may have a muhc larger role at the start of the 2023 season than in 2022. And it is fair to say that fans are slightly worried about this.

Woods helped quell some of those worries in these joint practices. Woods was flying all over the field and was utilizing his athleticism in coverage. Granted, it was not a full-speed practice and Woods' biggest concern has always been with tackling but there was still a lot to love for the second-year safety.