Chargers Might Have a Big Contract Problem Lurking After NFL Draft

It’s not getting a lot of publicity yet as attention focuses on the NFL draft, but the Los Angeles Chargers have a contract situation with star safety Derwin James likely coming up this summer.

There’s no easy answer on the topic, either.

Those Chargers have plenty of cap space. But when it comes to a new contract for a player like James, it’s less about the cash and more about the age and future outlook of the team.

It’s especially perplexing to think about right now, considering how Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has navigated the offseason so far.

While underrated, the James contract situation is worth a look. We outlined some mistakes the Chargers can’t make during the draft. Right after it, though, is mishandling the James situation.

Derwin James contract situation looms for Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James — Derwin James | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

ESPN’s Kris Rhim recently summed it up best on the James topic: He’s going on 30 years old and going to want some long-term security on his contract.

Right now, James has one year left on his current deal at a $24.6 million cap hit, according to Over the Cap.

“He's a valued player by the organization, so it seems likely that a deal will get done,” Rhim wrote. “Still, it might require making James the highest-paid safety in history again, or at least close, a mark Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton set last year with a four-year $100.4 million deal.”

This is a Chargers team with Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh that hasn’t been afraid to play hardball with franchise legends. It shipped out Keenan Allen over money concerns, after all.

Hortiz and Co. also haven’t been comfortable going for more than one year at a time with Khalil Mack. Despite continually having some of the NFL’s most free cap space, the Chargers were more than happy to cut Joey Bosa this time last year, too.

So what about James?

Still in the middle of his prime, James just graded as the ninth-best safety in the NFL at Pro Football Focus

The Chargers have also constructed much of the depth chart around maximizing James’ talents. That’s why they locked up Elijah Molden on an extension and brought back Tony Jefferson, so James could keep getting reps as a third safety and hybrid nickel guy near the line of scrimmage.

On paper, there’s no reason to think James and the Chargers won’t get something done when the time comes this summer. But it doesn’t exactly feel like Hortiz has been hoarding all this cap space for James all this time, either, right?

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