The LA Chargers drafted safety JT Woods in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After not having a second-round pick due to the Khalil Mack trade, it was imperative the Chargers hit on the team's third-round pick.
That is what made the selection so confusing at the time as Woods was projected to be drafted later and was picked off athletic traits. The scouting report around Woods was that he was green coming into the league and it would take some time to coach him up.
Woods proved he was green in his first two seasons in the league as he played poorly enough to not even warrant a consistent spot on defense. With Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco getting fired after the 2023 season, Woods' chances of sticking around on the Chargers' roster in 2024 declined.
They declined even further when AJ Finley separated himself as the third safety on the depth chart. With Thomas Harper putting together good practices and a good showing in the preseason, Woods completely lost his spot as a top-four safety on the Chargers.
However, Woods still has a chance to make the roster. The former safety has been converted to cornerback, specifically outside corner, for the Chargers heading into the 2024 season. And while Woods still has an uphill battle, the odds of him making the roster now seem much higher than they did before.
Chargers DC Jesse Minter says he thinks about the total number of DBs on the roster moreso than thinking about the number of safeties or corners in regards to JT Woods playing corner.
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 21, 2024
"I think versatility is huge for him...He's done fairly well, he's had success in practice."
Transition to cornerback may save JT Woods' career with Chargers
That comment from defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is very telling about Woods' potential future with the team. Minter and the Chargers are not looking at the secondary through traditional lenses and instead want to get as many versatile guys as they can on the roster.
With that mindset in place, it opens the door for Woods to make the roster essentially in that fourth safety spot. He won't actually be playing safety, but the Bolts can afford to carry one fewer safety in return for one extra cornerback.
Of course, Woods still has to go out and earn his spot on the roster and just because he changed positions does not mean he is a lock to make the roster. However, there is a very real possibility that Woods was miscast as a safety in the NFL and this change could unlock the untapped potential inside of him.
The final preseason game of the year against the Dallas Cowboys will be very telling. If Woods can put together a good showing that may be enough to convince the Chargers to keep him on the 53-man roster as a cornerback instead of a safety.
Because if he was a safety, well, he would not have had any chance at all to make the roster and his Chargers career would have likely come to an end.