Chargers safety group set to be vulnerable vs. Bills in Week 3

Posted by Admin September 25, 2026 NFL

The Chargers have a clear weak spot on their defense ahead of Week 3’s trip to Orchard Park that the Buffalo Bills need to exploit early and often.

Safety.

OK, yes, technically, Derwin James is a safety. He’s not super exploitable.

But in actuality, he’s an extra linebacker or slot defender. In fact, James has aligned in those roles on 93 of his 120 snaps through two games.

I’m talking deep safeties.

Veteran Elijah Molden has been DNP for the first two practices with a hamstring injury. He’s looking unlikely to play on Sunday.

That will leave 34-year-old Tony Jefferson, who’s always been good and remains pretty darn steady, second-year pro R.J. Mickens, and rookie Genesis Smith.

Jefferson, as the clear elder-statesman of the group, could possess some stabilizing influence over his fellow youngsters. And Mickens was far from dreadful as a rookie. He had two interceptions and two pass breakups on 353 snaps last season. Genesis Smith was freak tester at the combine — 42.5″ vertical at 6’2″ and 202 pounds — but has a ways to go as an all-around defender.

He’s played 63 snaps through the first two contests of his rookie and has allowed five catches for 89 yards with a touchdown and one pass breakup on seven targets in his coverage area. The 21 year old has six tackles without missing one to date. There’s certainly upside to this fourth-rounder’s game.

But the combination of Smith and Mickens — along with Jefferson — make the Chargers safety trio quite vulnerable ahead of this Week 3 matchup against the Bills.

Could the youngsters make a few plays? Sure. And Jefferson is still holding his own in his mid-30s. Nonetheless, Buffalo needs to prioritize repeatedly challenging that trio throughout this game.