There are quite a few former LA Chargers scattered across the league and outside of Melvin Gordon, Chargers fans typically root for these former players to do well as long as they are not playing the Bolts.
Rayshawn Jenkins is one of those former Chargers and there is nothing but mutual respect for the former "Jackboyz" member. Jenkins had a really good season for the Bolts in 2020 in replacing Derwin James and got paid for it as a result. Jenkins got a four-year, $35 million contract from the Jacksonville Jaguars for his play.
Now entering his second season in Jacksonville, the former fourth-round pick is coming home to the team that initially drafted him for the first time. Ahead of his first-ever game against the Chargers and so many of the players he formerly called teammates, Jenkins had absolutely nothing bad to say. He was all praise for his former team.
It is nice seeing there be no bad blood between Jenkins or the Chargers, which so often happens in this league when players change teams. Don't get it twisted, Jenkins will still come out looking to make big plays against his former team, but they are going to shake hands at the end of it.
Rayshawn Jenkins is coming into this Chargers matchup off of a great game in Week 2.
Jenkins had arguably his best game since joining the Jaguars in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts. While Pro Football Focus was not impressed — giving Jenkins the worst grade of any defensive player on the Jags at 51.6 — Jenkins still played a big role in the game.
The former Charger finished the game with four pass breakups and an interception to go with them. Even Jenkins himself proclaimed it to be the best game of his career with the Jaguars, and one of the five best games of his entire career.
The Chargers have had success against former members of the team this season. In Week 1, the Bolts faced off against a pair of former Chargers in Roderick Teamer and Denzel Perryman. Roderick Teamer allowed Gerald Everett to bully him for a touchdown. Perryman was playing well, but unfortunately left the game early with an ankle injury.
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The Chargers probably won't be targeting Rayshawn Jenkins all that much as the team probably should not be going deep often in this game to protect Justin Herbert. If they do, you know Jenkins is going to have extra motivation to re-live his "Jackboyz" past.