From the Ashes of 2023: Derwin James Jr. Rises Back Up to Reclaim His Spot at the Top

The Los Angeles Chargers safety suffered a down year and a career low point in 2023 but has fought his way back.

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Big news has been coming quickly this week for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers started OTAs this week and it marked the return of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert from Europe while he supported his girlfriend, Madison Beer's music tour. Head coach Jim Harbaugh gave excellent health updates on the Chargers offensive tackle tandem.

The biggest news of the week came on Monday when it was announced that the Chargers and All-Pro defensive back Derwin James Jr. had agreed to a three-year extension. The deal is his second extension with the Chargers who drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.

James' new deal marks the second time in his career that he has reset the safety market. His versatility and leadership have been hallmarks of his career on top of his exceptional play. However, his versatility and the abuse and misuse of his skillset nearly derailed his time with the Chargers.

2023, Brandon Staley and a plate too full

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Derwin James kicked down the doors of the NFL and announced himself as an All-Pro his rookie year in 2018. Unfortunately, injuries claimed most of 2019 and all of 2020 before he returned to peak physical form in 2021. James' return to action coincided with the hiring of then-new head coach Brandon Staley.

Staley had a vision for James to be utilized in a versatile manner and for the first two seasons together, the plan more or less worked. Grading by Pro Football Focus is subjective but in 2021 and 2022, James started to have changes in his performance grades. He was used more towards the line of scrimmage and as a blitzer. James' coverage grade in those years began to dip but his pass rush took a leap forward.

James' role in the Chargers defense was designed to be a Swiss army knife to utilize his skillset all over the field in an attempt to confuse opposing offenses. The variance and changes made by Staley as the defensive play caller in 2023 proved to be catastrophic for the Chargers and for James.

The Chargers defense dropped from being ranked tenth in the NFL in 2022 in EPA per pass all the way down to 25th in 2023. James and the entire Chargers defense looked confused with the complexity of the scheme and the constantly changing roles. James' overall grade dropped nearly 20 overall points for the 2023 season.

The Chargers moved on from Brandon Staley before the season concluded and hired Jim Harbaugh as his replacement. Entering the 2024 off-season, there was hope that James would return to form with new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and safeties position coach Chris O'Leary.

James was ranked the seventh-best safety in the NFL by ESPN heading into training camp, a less than stellar rank for a player paid at the top of market for his position. At the time, questions regarding the contract and the future value of it were raised.

Any questions over James living up to his contract extension have since been put to rest. James is the Chargers defensive backbone and emotional tone-setter. His PFF grades immediately bounced back proving that a down year of chaos and disappointment was not going to keep knocked down.

Derwin James got back into the fight in 2024 and regained his form under a new regime and now his climb back to the top has been rewarded becoming the highest-paid safety in the NFL. He now gets to continue his career with the franchise that drafted him and under a new defensive coordinator, his 2024 position coach Chris O'Leary.