The Los Angeles Chargers selected safety Derwin James 17th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Now, James has become the highest-paid safety in NFL history after the two sides agreed to a new contract on Tuesday.
James agreed to a three-year deal worth $75.6 million with $57.5 million guaranteed, with an average annual value of $25.2 million.
The guarantee is $57.5M for Derwin James, as the Chargers take care of one of their best. https://t.co/mcK1TAYZvY
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 26, 2026
James suffered an injury during his final college season at Florida State, which caused him to fall a bit in the draft, but he was always viewed as a star.
James missed the entire 2020 season with an injury, but he has made the Pro Bowl four times in the past five seasons while being a force on the Chargers’ defense.
James has played in 16 regular-season games in each of the past three seasons, and he had 50 total tackles with 2 sacks and 3 interceptions in 2025.
The Chargers watched defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leave to become the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. In turn, the Chargers hired Chris O’Leary, who was LA’s safeties coach in 2024 before taking the DC job in 2025 at Western Michigan.
So, with the Chargers kicking off OTAs, the Derwin James contract extension can be one item marked off the checklist.
