Tony Jefferson, Ravens Agree to New Contract for 2022 Season

Veteran safety Tony Jefferson is staying put for the foreseeable future.

The Baltimore Ravens announced Thursday that they have re-signed Jefferson after his solid performance down the stretch last season. The Ravens signed him in December after their secondary was decimated by injuries, and he played in the final four games of the year.

Set to enter his ninth NFL season in 2022, Jefferson spent the first four years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals and then starred for the Ravens from 2017-19. He suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 of the 2019 season that ended his time in Baltimore.

Jefferson sat out for the entire 2020 season before signing with the San Francisco 49ers last year. The 49ers released him in December after he appeared in only two games.

In four games with the Ravens, Jefferson totaled 17 tackles, including a team-high 10 tackles in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 30-year-old also saw action on special teams.

During his first run in Baltimore, Jefferson established himself as a defensive leader and a key member of the locker room. That remained the same during his brief run with the team last year.

"The Ravens have always valued his experience and toughness, and Jefferson's presence will provide another veteran voice in the secondary," the team said in the release announcing his re-signing.

Bringing Jefferson back helps solidify a defensive backfield that will also be boosted by the impending returns of cornerbacks Marcus Peters (knee) and Marlon Humphrey (pectoral), both of whom missed significant time in 2021.