Derwin James "Hold-in" - SIGNED 4 Years $76.4M

[Scott Green]

Very well done by the Chargers. Wish would have been done 3 weeks ago, but we don't know what the negotiations were about. This certainly is yet another example contrary to the "Spanoses are cheap!" "Chargers don't reward their own players!" " Telesco is an idiot!" opinions so often voiced here.


TG

I have a theory the team did not want to take a chance on him taking shots during camp and deliberately drug this out. That way he wasn't practicing but was there and no one could call it playing favorites. Both sides got what they wanted and camp is just about over.

[cmplxgal]

[cmplxgal]

https://www.nfl.com/news/chargers-de...year-extension


Chargers safety Derwin James signing four-year, $76.5 million extension

Published: Aug 17, 2022 at 10:09 AM

Nick Shook
Around The NFL Writer

Do-it-all safety Derwin James is getting paid like one.

James is signing a four-year, $76.5 million extension with the Chargers, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.

The deal makes James the highest-paid safety in NFL history at an average of $19.1 million per year and includes a record-breaking $42 million in guaranteed money, with $29 million due to him in the first year of his deal, Rapoport reported. James leaps over the likes of Pittsburgh's Minkah Fitzpatrick and Seattle's Jamal Adams in terms of both total value and average annual salary with the massive pay day.

It's well deserved. James earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2018 and two Pro Bowl bids in his first four NFL seasons, and he'd likely have an even more impressive resume if injuries didn't cost him 11 games in 2019 and the entire 2020 season.

No matter to the Chargers, who clearly know what they have in James and aren't afraid to speak with their wallet. James ranked in the top five in tackles, tackles for loss, quarterback hits and forced fumbles last season, and he was the only safety with 100-plus tackles, two or more sacks and five or more tackles for loss. In fact, it's only the second time any safety in the league has reached those marks in the last four seasons (Adams did so in 2018 with the Jets).

James' five-tool capability is evident on both the film and in his Pro Football Focus marks. James posted the best coverage grade of any safety in the PFF era in 2018, while his passer rating was the fifth-lowest among safeties with at least 40 targets last season, and his 89.1 overall grade when aligned in the box was the fourth best among 199 qualifying defenders.

In short, he's consistently effective all over the field, and the Chargers don't shy from using him as such. James is one of just two defenders since 2018 to align in the box on 40-plus percent of snaps, 20-plus percent at traditional free safety, 20-plus percent in the slot and -- here's the kicker -- 10-plus percent along the defensive line.

Los Angeles selected James 17th overall in 2018, a pick seen as a steal at the time and confirmed by James' performance since then. The only negative mark on his resume has been his health, and after missing just two games in 2021, the Chargers felt comfortable enough to extend him before the fifth and final year of his rookie contract began in September.

[Formula 21]

I love that Derwin never once pulled out the “disrespect” card. Which is why I don’t particularly want Roquan Smith.

[Xenos]

Comments to Ian’s tweet are brutal. Lots of tweets about overpaying for a guy who misses half the games

[JOJAX85]

I love that Derwin never once pulled out the “disrespect” card. Which is why I don’t particularly want Roquan Smith.

You know who woulda been cheaper than Roquan Smith? Nakobe Dean.

I said I'd let it go and I didn't let it go. :More Q Please:

[Xenos]

I was surprised that they were trying to extend him this year rather than next. It was a pleasant surprise. And once I saw how everything went down so far, I knew it was only a matter of time before something gets done.

[Xenos]

[Classic]

Now tell me the lotto numbers

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

Understandable. Not only has Derwin missed half his career to injury, the Chargers' defense sucked last year. If he's that much of a game-changer, the defense shouldn't be that bad. He's going to have to prove to me this season he's not overrated.

If you think Derwin isn’t a game changer then go watch the Texans game again. Without him we couldn’t even stop Rex Burkhead.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

I was surprised that they were trying to extend him this year rather than next. It was a pleasant surprise. And once I saw how everything went down so far, I knew it was only a matter of time before something gets done.

Declining the 5th year option on Tillery and having Derwin out of the way now gives TT 2 off seasons to focus on Herbert.

[equivocation]

Guys, every single Ian Rappaport tweet is a troll fest in the comments. Every single one.