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Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. gestures during a news conference after the NFL football team’s practice Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in El Segundo, Calif.<\/p>\n
William Liang\/AP Photo\/William Liang<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. speaks during a news conference after the NFL football team’s practice Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in El Segundo, Calif.<\/p>\n
William Liang\/AP Photo\/William Liang<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. speaks during a news conference after the NFL football team’s practice Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in El Segundo, Calif.<\/p>\n
William Liang\/AP Photo\/William Liang<\/p>\n
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) \u2014 Derwin James has accomplished plenty with the Los Angeles Chargers, including agreeing to a new three-year contract extension on Tuesday that makes him the NFL\u2019s highest-paid safety once again.<\/p>\n
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Success in the playoffs, however, has been elusive during James\u2019 first seven seasons. He hopes to address the one gap in his otherwise stellar resume during the new deal, which now runs through 2029.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHonestly, I want to win, win the Super Bowl so bad, man, so coming out here and just working, working, working hard as I can every day, and I feel like that\u2019s what I\u2019m so focused on. The money\u2019s good, yeah, it\u2019s good, but I can\u2019t get my thoughts off being the last team playing,\u201d James said Wednesday after the first day of organized team activities.<\/p>\n
James has never reached the AFC championship game, let alone the Super Bowl, in four playoff appearances since the Chargers drafted him in the first round in 2018.<\/p>\n
His only postseason win came at the end of James\u2019 rookie season when Los Angeles defeated the Baltimore Ravens in a wild-card game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the divisional round.<\/p>\n
To help get over that hump, the Chargers chose to keep James for the long term because of his positional versatility and value as a leader.<\/p>\n
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In the past two seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh and former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who became head coach of the Ravens in January, James had 187 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7 1\/2 sacks, four interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He was second team All-Pro in both seasons.<\/p>\n
James\u2019 multifaceted deployment is not expected to change under new coordinator Chris O\u2019Leary, who was the Chargers safeties coach in 2024 before spending last season in the college ranks at Western Michigan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s going to let me know, like, whatever you need from me, and that role can change weekly. I feel like I\u2019m a very versatile player, whatever you need from whether it\u2019s to guard the tight end, guard the running back, blitz this week, play in the post, play deep. Whatever the game plan, like, requires, I feel like I can help the team, so whatever he needs from me, honestly,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n
Just as important as his ability to play multiple spots is James\u2019 enthusiasm on and off the field. Edge rusher Khalil Mack called James \u201cone of the greatest teammates I\u2019ve ever played with, just from the standpoint of the man.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHow he treats people, how he wants to be treated, and how he carries himself, he carries himself like that every day,\u201d Mack said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe energy is there, it\u2019s positive, it\u2019s infectious throughout the building. So, yeah, you want to keep a guy like Derwin in any building. I\u2019m sure any team around the NFL would want to keep him for a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Justin Herbert back with the team<\/p>\n
Justin Herbert took part in on-field workouts for the first time this spring after the Chargers quarterback skipped earlier segments of the voluntary offseason program to spend time with pop singer Madison Beer while she is on tour in Europe. Herbert and Beer took their relationship public in October, and he recently appeared in her new music video.<\/p>\n
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Harbaugh said he was happy to see Herbert take some personal time by returning support for Beer after she became a regular presence at Chargers home games this past season.<\/p>\n
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By signing up, you agree to our Terms Of Use<\/a> and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe told me he wasn\u2019t going to be here for those two weeks, and my first reaction was, \u2019You need a ride to the airport?’\u201d Harbaugh joked. \u201cHe\u2019s just been somebody that he\u2019s just here all the time. I mean, sometimes I wanted to shoo him out of the building.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n