There is a battle in Chargers training camp for the fourth spot at the safety position, and second-year Raheem Layne is making his case early on to secure it.
Layne logged a pass deflection and the first turnover of camp in team drills. He was covering tight end Michael Ezeike and as quarterback Easton Stick passed, Layne read it perfectly and came away with the football.
okayyy raheem pic.twitter.com/2SqafwOlzx
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 27, 2023
Around this time last year, Layne was also making plays. The former undrafted free agent out of Indiana made the most of his opportunities while Derwin James and Mark Webb were out, earning him a roster spot.
Layne rarely saw the defensive side of the ball in his rookie campaign, but he made his money on special teams.
Raheem Layne putting in work in kick coverage 👏
📺: #LACvsIND on ESPN
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/ibALz5obxA pic.twitter.com/KI6kuTtXY9— NFL (@NFL) December 27, 2022
As it stands, Derwin James and Alohi Gilman are slated to be the starting safeties, with last year’s third-round pick JT Woods as the third safety coming on in dime (six defensive back) packages.
Woods struggled in his rookie season, but the coaches expect him to make a leap. However, if Layne continues to make plays, he could end up warranting that third spot, which is a vital role in Brandon Staley’s defense.
A cornerback-to-safety convert, Layne has excellent instincts in coverage, experience in multiple alignments and good run defense to be a solid contributor on defense.
