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

[Riverwalk]

I had been thinking Derwin was over rated but after KC game it’s clear it’s Staleys scheme that’s making every defensive player look piss poor.

I’ve honestly never been so fed up and ready to fire a Charger HC.

He is wasting careers. How can ownership allow this to continue for even another minute.

[NoMoreChillies]

Watching Derwin man coverage Kelcie in the 2nd half shows he still elite.

[BigBad]

Watching Derwin man coverage Kelcie in the 2nd half shows he still elite.

LOL...one skill. He sucks at safety coverage help. Please bring up a video of the last time he made a big play in the secondary. Maybe last year at Indy. The guy is basically an undersized linebacker. Maybe a better coach could bring some elite traits out of him, but on this team he is not even close to being worth his pay.

[Velo]

Please bring up a video of the last time he made a big play in the secondary.

I was just thinking of this. Let's set aside the question of whether Derwin is a liability or an asset. Even his biggest supporters have to admit that he doesn't make big plays, he doesn't make plays that change a game. And do not you expect this from a safety who is earning more than any other safety in the NFL?

When Derwin returned in 2021 from missing most of the previous two seasons with injury, in Week 4, with the Chargers up by 14 over the Gruden Raiders, who came into the game 3-0, Derwin stepped in front of a Carr pass meant for Darren Waller and picked it, thereby shutting down any hopes the Raiders had of coming back. I remember thinking, "yeah Derwin is back!" (11:50 on the vid) This is the kind of playmaking I thought we were going to get from James going forward. I was excited.

But that is not what we have gotten from Derwin, that type of play-making just has not materialized. When they gave him that big contract last season, I thought "OK, Derwin is really going to emerge as an elite player his season." But he's basically been just a guy in terms of play-making. He did stop Kelce from scoring in the first game v the Chiefs last season, picking him up an dropping him to the turf. That was an impressive play and it demonstrated Derwin's incredible strength. But then he let Kelce score the game-winning TD for the Chiefs in the second game right after the offense had taken a 4 pt lead with under 2 mins left.

Is it too much for fans to expect the highest paid safety in the game to be a playmaker, to make plays that change a game? Like that INT on Carr in 2021. Is that too much to expect? That is why I am critical of Derwin. He's competent, he does some things well and other things he doesn't do so well. But you don't make a player like that the highest paid at his position in the game.

[Boltx]

I don't know if having the "highest paid safety in the game" is necessarily a good thing. A luxury position that we locked up too much money into.

I like Derwin but struggling to think of a time he has ALTERED a game outside of his rookie year.

[Riverwalk]

I was just thinking of this. Let's set aside the question of whether Derwin is a liability or an asset. Even his biggest supporters have to admit that he doesn't make big plays, he doesn't make plays that change a game. And do not you expect this from a safety who is earning more than any other safety in the NFL?

When Derwin returned in 2021 from missing most of the previous two seasons with injury, in Week 4, with the Chargers up by 14 over the Gruden Raiders, who came into the game 3-0, Derwin stepped in front of a Carr pass meant for Darren Waller and picked it, thereby shutting down any hopes the Raiders had of coming back. I remember thinking, "yeah Derwin is back!" (11:50 on the vid) This is the kind of playmaking I thought we were going to get from James going forward. I was excited.

But that is not what we have gotten from Derwin, that type of play-making just has not materialized. When they gave him that big contract last season, I thought "OK, Derwin is really going to emerge as an elite player his season." But he's basically been just a guy in terms of play-making. He did stop Kelce from scoring in the first game v the Chiefs last season, picking him up an dropping him to the turf. That was an impressive play and it demonstrated Derwin's incredible strength. But then he let Kelce score the game-winning TD for the Chiefs in the second game right after the offense had taken a 4 pt lead with under 2 mins left.

Is it too much for fans to expect the highest paid safety in the game to be a playmaker, to make plays that change a game? Like that INT on Carr in 2021. Is that too much to expect? That is why I am critical of Derwin. He's competent, he does some things well and other things he doesn't do so well. But you don't make a player like that the highest paid at his position in the game.

If you think Staley is maxmimizing Derwin’s talent then I got a bridge to sell you.

Look what Chargers own defensive players said….Staley’s scheme allowed Kelce to be indefensible for the entire first half.

If the rest of the season was t enough to fire his stupid ass, this alone was.

[Lefty2SLO]

If you think Staley is maxmimizing Derwin’s talent then I got a bridge to sell you.

Look what Chargers own defensive players said….Staley’s scheme allowed Kelce to be indefensible for the entire first half.

If the rest of the season was t enough to fire his stupid ass, this alone was.

Staley is to arrogant / stubborn to change . . . . . . . . . . until his nose is rubbed in it (and it's too late). It's possibly his worst trait, and that's saying something . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Riverwalk]

Staley is too arrogant / stubborn to change . . . . . . . . . . until his nose is rubbed in it (and it's too late). It's possibly his worst trait, and that's saying something . . . . . . . . . . . .

I won’t speculate on his motivation but he’s clearly not a top tier defensive mind and is getting schooled by OC’s week in, week out.

It leaves me knowing there’s no way we can judge who is any good on this defense because he puts players in bad situation.

JC Jackson knew it coming from Bellichiks system.

And you have Telesco and Johnboy sitting with their thumbs up their ass because they have no clue what good or bad coaching actually looks like.

what a clusterfk

[Velo]

Look what Chargers own defensive players said….Staley’s scheme allowed Kelce to be indefensible for the entire first half.

Who said that?

[AK47]

I think the real question is...is safety an Elite position?

A QA slings the ball, pass rusher gets to QB, WR catches the ball, CB prevents the WR from doing so...shoot the RB carries the ball.

The Safety (net) is often the 2nd or 3rd person to reach the ball on defense.

[Riverwalk]

Who said that?

“we played zone” cornerback Michael Davis said of the first half game plan.

“(Kelce) just goes to the spot and turns around. It has nothing to do with Travis. It’s us. We got to get on their ass. When you come down and play the Chiefs, you got to come out and play man and get on their ass.”

“We played a little too much zone in the first half” James said. He was just getting behind our linebackers. He was getting open.n in the second half we switched it up”

[Velo]

I think the real question is...is safety an Elite position?

A QA slings the ball, pass rusher gets to QB, WR catches the ball, CB prevents the WR from doing so...shoot the RB carries the ball.

The Safety (net) is often the 2nd or 3rd person to reach the ball on defense.

Yes. An elite safety can change a defense.