The ever-changing Chargers secondary got a boost from two more sudden additions Sunday as safeties Tony Jefferson and Marcus Maye were the latest embodiment of the Chargers’ next-man-up mentality.
A day after getting signed to the active roster from the practice squad, Jefferson finished with eight tackles in his first regular-season start since Dec. 14, 2022.
Maye’s fourth-quarter interception in the end zone preserved the Chargers’ four-point lead after giving the Falcons great field position following a failed fake-punt pass attempt. The veterans gave the Chargers a lift with starting safety Alohi Gilman (hamstring) on injured reserve.
The Chargers claimed Maye off waivers from the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday, and he arrived in L.A. on Wednesday night. He watched practice Thursday and participated in a walk-through Friday before flying back to the East Coast for Sunday’s game.
Despite limited time on the field with his new teammates, Maye said he knew “a good bit” of the defense that coach Jim Harbaugh said was similar in structure to what the Dolphins were running.
“It’s part of the nature of the business that we are in,” said Maye, who safety Derwin James Jr. joked hasn’t said more than 10 words to his teammates while studying the playbook.
Jefferson, 32, was working as a scout for the Baltimore Ravens last year, but showed he still could perform on the field with 14 tackles, one sack and two interceptions in a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Sticking on the Chargers practice squad, Jefferson has been a valuable resource for younger players and a nuisance on the scout team that imitates opposing defenses in practice.
“Now he can do that to opposing [offenses],” Harbaugh said with a smile.
The changes in the secondary started before the regular season as safety Elijah Molden was signed 10 days before the first game. The Chargers relied on rookies in the starting rotation when injuries piled up and signed Eli Apple to the practice squad and got productive snaps out of the veteran cornerback before he went on injured reserve.
Even though it was another new combination on the field Sunday, it didn’t feel like it, James said.
“You’re not going to be out there by yourself, we’re going to communicate as a defense,” said the team captain who had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. “I feel like that’s what makes us a great defense.”
