Examining the fit: Tony Jefferson

By Scooter_McG 

On Monday, the team announced they had come to terms with FA safety Tony Jefferson on a one year deal. Jefferson had visited with the team earlier in the offseason, and at the time of the signing this appeared to be just a case of adding another low risk, potentially high reward type player, or maybe getting a veteran familiar with the system in case they needed to sign someone during the season. 

However, the reasoning and timing behind the signing came into more focus as news broke that Tavarius Moore tore his Achilles at Monday's practice, and will now be out for the season. While it has not been confirmed by the team, it would appear that Moore's injury was the impetus for signing Jefferson. Moore had bulked up this offseason to provide cover at both safety positions, and with Tartt missing practice as he recovers from offseason surgery, Moore had been the starting strong safety in practices to date. And according to reports Moore was looking good in the early going. Moore had been mentioned as a player the team had hopes for making a jump in 2021.  

Tartt has missed a lot of time throughout his NFL career, making a solid backup safety a necessity. In past seasons when Tartt has gone down the replacements have been exposed to some degree. The team was counting on Moore stepping into the third safety role, and his loss leaves a big hole for the team behind Ward and Tartt.

The addition of Jefferson has the potential to provide a quality replacement, and at worst will provide a respected veteran voice to the locker room during the offseason practices and a savvy player to the competition at backup safety.  

Tony Jefferson had a strong college career at safety for the Sooners, making an immediate contribution on his way to earning All-Freshman honours and displaying true playmaking skills over his three years of college football. He decided to forego his senior season and enter the draft in 2013, and prior to the combine was widely considered one of the top safeties in the draft. However, despite his film indicating a player with the range and intelligence to play any safety role, a 4.75s 40 time tanked his draft stock and he would ultimately sign as an UDFA with the Cardinals. 

He played all 16 games as a rookie in 2013, primarily in a backup role, but worked his way into the starting lineup from 2014 onwards in the Cardinals DB-heavy defensive scheme under first Todd Bowles and then James Bettcher in 2015 and 2016 (who is now the 49ers Senior Defensive Assistant). 

His play for the Cardinals made him a prized free agent after the 2016 season, with the Ravens winning the race to sign him in 2017 and making him the sixth highest paid safety in the NFL at the time. However, while he was a respected leader and locker room presence, his level of play took a step back while at the Ravens as he struggled with inconsistency and mental lapses, and he was released by the Ravens at the end of the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL early in the season.

Jefferson hasn't played in the NFL since that knee injury, and was unsigned throughout 2020. So it is unclear how much Jefferson has left in the tank, though at only 29 years old he should have plenty left to give so long as his knee holds up.

Bringing in Jefferson is likely in part due to the presence and recommendation of his old Defensive Coordinator at the Cardinals, James Bettcher. Bettcher will be very familiar with what Jefferson brings to a team both on and off the field, and knows how to get the best out of him. 

This move has no real downside, while having the potential to add a high level starting calibre player to the defensive backfield. It is the ultimate low risk, potentially high reward signing at a position that needed bolstering following the season-ending injury to Moore.