Injury Concern

There is no question about his ability and impact when he is on the field. However, there is a lot of injury concern for Derwin James dating back to college. James was selected 17th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2018 NFL Draft. He may have been drafted higher if not for his injury at Florida State. In September of 2016, James suffered a left lateral meniscus tear in a game against Charelston Southern. He underwent surgery and missed the final 11 games of the 2016 season. He bounced back and had a good junior year to position himself for the 2018 NFL Draft. After having an all pro year as a rookie in 2018, he suffered a stress fracture in his right foot in training camp. This caused him to miss the first 11 games of the 2019 season. The following year, he suffered another injury in training camp.  James suffered a meniscus injury in his right knee and missed the entire 2020 season. In total, he missed 27 out of 32 games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Worth the Risk

Despite the injuries, the Chargers were still willing to take a chance on Derwin James. Although risky, the Chargers believe he is more than worth the risk. Quite simply, teams that take big risks often see them pay off via Alex Roth at gridironheroics.com. When healthy, he has proven to be one of the best safeties in the NFL. He has already made an impact with the team in his return.  James on Tuesday then reminded everyone of the playmaker that he is, as he was anywhere and everywhere in practice Per Eric Smith via Chargers.com. “James showed up in a 7-on-7 period when he knocked away a pass intended for tight end Gerald Everett. Later, in an 11-on-11 drill, James was sticky in coverage of Keenan Allen and nearly pulled down an interception. He even showed up in other ways, too, as he likely would have had a sack in a real-game situation on a third-down blitz.” Derwin James will be entering his 5th season in 2022 and is ready to make a run with the Los Angeles Chargers in a competitive AFC West.