Tony Jefferson kicks JT Woods off Chargers roster with dazzling game vs Cowboys

One position that was up for grabs entering the LA Chargers' preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys was the last defensive back spot on the depth chart. Tony Jefferson and Thomas Harper entered the game trying to make their case as the fourth safety while former safety JT Woods had a chance to win a roster spot after transitioning to cornerback.

It ended up being the veteran of that trio who made the most of the opportunity and separated himself from this teammates. Jefferson went to Dallas to not only be the biggest standout of the day, but to have the best game of any Chargers player this preseason.

The former Baltimore Ravens safety finished the first half with eight tackles, one sack, one TFL, one pass defended and one interception. If that was not enough, Jefferson made sure to add to his already incredible stat line with another interception in the second half off Trey Lance.

Tony Jefferson kicks JT Woods off the Chargers roster with an incredible showing

The competition for the final spot in the secondary is officially over. There is absolutely no way the Chargers can give that spot to anyone other than Jefferson, which is particularly bad for Woods.

Harper always had an uphill battle as an undrafted free agent and missing out on the roster is not viewed as a failure. After his strong showing in preseason Week 2, Harper will likely stick around on the practice squad, which is still a win for a UDFA.

Woods missing the roster is a tougher pill to swallow. The third-round pick from 2022 has not panned out as expected as the previous Chargers regime did not develop him properly. The switch to cornerback did give Woods more value but it was too little, too late.

Woods may stick around on the practice squad but that is not where a third-round pick wants to be before his rookie contract expires. For all intents and purposes, that makes the Woods pick a total whiff.

But hey, it is a much better outcome for the Chargers to have someone emerge as a can't-miss candidate for the roster instead of just giving the spot to someone who the team drafted two years ago because nobody else separated themselves.

The final preseason game of the year should be remembered as the Tony Jefferson game. And in a perfect world, it won't be the best game he has in 2024.