Tony Jefferson wishes he could hibernate during the months when the NFL switches from a game to a business.
The Cardinals’ fourth-year safety is off to a tremendous start in 2016, leading the team in tackles (21) and tackles for loss (4) while grading out as the second-best safety in the league through two games by Pro Football Focus.
He has taken over for the departed Rashad Johnson and played every snap as the starting strong safety, an ascension which is of little surprise to him.
This is the player Jefferson expected to be when he left Oklahoma in 2013, although no one drafted him.