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Derwin James is staying in Los Angeles – and it’s going to cost the Chargers a record amount to keep him there.
The team has agreed to a three-year, $75.6 million extension with their star safety, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That works out to more than $25 million per season, making James the highest-paid safety in the NFL – for the second time in his career. The Chargers confirmed the deal on social media shortly after.
James, 29, was heading into the final year of his previous contract this fall and would have hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent next summer. He was earning around $19.1 million per season under that deal, which ranked him fourth among safeties league-wide.
His new number just edges out Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, who set the previous benchmark at $25.1 million per season. Detroit’s Kerby Joseph and Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr. are the only other safeties in the league currently earning north of $20 million annually.
It’s a significant investment – but the Chargers clearly weren’t letting him walk.
James has been with Los Angeles his entire career, drafted 17th overall out of Florida State back in 2018. Last season he posted 94 total tackles and matched his career-high with three interceptions, earning his fifth Pro Bowl selection in the process. He also played a key role in helping the Chargers finish 11-6 and reach the playoffs for the second straight year, though the team was eliminated in the wild-card round again.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh hasn’t exactly been subtle about how he feels about his safety.
“I’ve called him the best safety I’ve ever seen in the history of the National Football League,” Harbaugh said after the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders last season. “I don’t think I’m going out on a limb there. He is one of the most incredible players I’ve ever watched.”
Hard to argue with that when the contract reflects it just as loudly.
