Touchy Subject....How is Derwin James "Elite"?

[Lefty2SLO]

They can release him by the third day of the new league year In March 2024 - at that time -- he would be guaranteed $7m of what he is owed

He actually could be a good candidate to trade as his base salary (along with Mack, Williams and Allen) are all the league minimum.

If there were a market for him - they should have traded him earlier this year.

OK - I stand corrected. Good to know we can cut ties if need be.

[Fouts2herbert]

Well, if Staley gets fired, there is no telling what the new coach will want to do defensively, but the salaries that they have on defense right now are unsustainable, that much seems obvious that some guys will get traded or cut after this season...much depends on who they hire to replace Staley...

[Fouts2herbert]

for the record, I don't think James is the problem, hell, I don't think any of these players are the problem, they are not being put in situations to have success, something Staley has talked about since he arrived and he hasn't been able to do that for more than one game here or there, there has never been any consistency, none...this defense makes me wish Bradley was still our DC...that's how bad it's gotten...

[BigBad]

Forget my title of this thread. Now I want to know if Is Derwin James too dumb or too emotional to stop committing roughing penalties.

[Blastttoff]

Derwin James and Joey Bosa were once elite under Gus Bradley’s system.

[CanadianBoltFan]

He’s the best safety on the team by a long shot. As far as criticizing players, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

I think he is running on past reputation. Seriously, when is the last time he seriously impacted a game or made a game changing play like studs do? Other than recurring really dumb head shots that hurt his team?

His coverage and angles do look increasingly bad, and then there is always the risk of him being unavailable with some injury or another. No way you can honestly make a case the Chargers are getting the impact from Derwin, or Bosa that they are paying many millions for.

[CanadianBoltFan]

"Versatility versatility versatility"
I'm sick of it.
There is no point in all his versatility if hes not consistently making game changing plays--he simply isn't and it's always someone else's fault.
If he can consistently make game changing plays, I'll call him "elite"
I refuse to sit on the word, "elite" because of the scarcity of high level Safety play in the league. If you choose to call him elite because it's technically true, do it, have fun.

at some point we must ask ourselves, what the hell are we trying to do? Win games or show off fancy athleticism?
his versatility is great for bragging but not so much for winning games.
I don't think he's being used wisely by asking him to do multiple things, I think it's much wiser to ask him to do 2 things better than 5 things average.
I questioned Staley from the start and now actively criticize him for over valuing DJ, it's not helping, at least thus far.
the proof is when the D runs as well or better with a JAG like Alohi out there.

Also, I love you fellow Charger fans, but you all need to stop pretending and stop getting so sensitive when James gets called out.
He isn't in the same class as a Reed or Polamalo period. Any Steeler or Raven fan can comfortably say that.
We WANT to believe in him because we see the POTENTIAL, but that's all it is 5 years later.

I would take Micah over him in a heartbeat

[CanadianBoltFan]

I also question why DJ is considered elite. He doesn’t make that many impact plays and he doesn’t carry the defense. The defense’s best games this season were while he was out. You allow a team to come from 27 pts behind and beat you? Nobody elite on that defense.

Good point. What does it say when the defense plays better when he is injured? Sounds like millions that could be better spent.

Really sick of guys like Derwin and Bosa getting paid kajillions and being told how good they are, but never seeing them impact the game on the field when we need a big play to stop the never ending trend of this team losing every big game they play in.

[CanadianBoltFan]

The Bengals are playing great defense right now with a unit that doesn't have a lot of big names. Vonn Bell is their strong safety, the same position DJ plays.

Bell earned $6.488 mil this season. His regular season stat line was:

4 INT 8 passes defensed 1 forced fumble 1 tackle for loss 0 sacks

James earned $24.584 mil this season. His regular season stat line was:

2 INT 6 passes defensed 2 forced fumble 5 tackles for loss 4 sacks

Staley uses Derwin on the LOS more than the Bengals uses Bell in that capacity. And James is pretty good at it - his stats tell the story.

But as a pass defender, Bell is better, at least he was this season.

Bell is up for a new contract in 2023. Assuming the Bengals want to retain him, they will have to pay him more than $6.5 mil. But he's not going to earn Derwin James money.

Derwin is touted as a unique player who can do it all from the SS position. But I dispute that. He is an average, at best, pass defender. Kelce beat him for a TD in the 2nd Chiefs game that gave KC a season sweep over the Chargers. The Chargers had a 4 pt lead with 37 seconds left in that game. And Kelce scored from the 17 yd line with Derwin out of position. If you want to review that play, scroll to 13:18 in the vid below.

The Chargers are paying Derwin like a player who is elite at all levels. But he is not. A safety who is an elite pass defender does not let a barely .500 team come from 27 pts behind in the playoffs and beat you.

I like some of the things Derwin does for the Chargers' defense. But, again, he is not elite. The Chargers pass defense played their best games this season when Derwin was injured. That is fact.

TRUTH

[northerner]

I think he is running on past reputation. Seriously, when is the last time he seriously impacted a game or made a game changing play like studs do? Other than recurring really dumb head shots that hurt his team?

His coverage and angles do look increasingly bad, and then there is always the risk of him being unavailable with some injury or another. No way you can honestly make a case the Chargers are getting the impact from Derwin, or Bosa that they are paying many millions for.

agree with all of this. 15 yard penalties every game - he better be forcing fumbles and picks to make up for that bullshit.

for Bosa, the problem is the salary - way too expensive for the missed games. plus, he is always limited by injuries even when he plays - he is never 100%. 2024 should be a roster overhaul.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Can you imagine a Chargers starting line up without Bosa and James ?

Yes. We see it regularly. Because aside from doing nothing of impact to help this team actually beat a good team in big game, they are both injured almost as much as they are on the field.

[CanadianBoltFan]

There are differing opinions in this thread, but for this morning the last thing I will say about Derwin..and Bosa..is this...

It is not debatable, from what we are seeing on the field right now, this year...that either of these players are providing anything close to value for the tons of money they are paid.

If you want be be among the highest paid players in football at your position....FFS go out and impact a game in a positive, meaningful way and stop being losers whose team predictably chokes and loses every single time you play a contender in a meaningful game

By the way Derwin thanks for your campaigning to bring JCJ here to waste 82 million and waste our cap further!

Salty, you bet I am salty after watching these losers and chokers yet again, year after year, decade after decade lol