According to Ian Rapoport, the Chargers and S Derwin James have agreed to terms on a three-year, $75.6 million deal to make him the league’s highest-paid safety.
Rapoport notes that James’ contract includes $57.5 million guaranteed.
Last month, Chargers GM Joe Hortiz said the team had discussed a contract extension for James. He added that the plan was to buckle down and work on getting a contract done once the draft was in the books.
James was due $14.5 million in 2026 on top of $3 million he’s already earned in a contract year for him as well.
James, 29, is the former 17th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Chargers out of Florida State. He finished the fourth year of a four-year, $12.388 million dollar rookie contract that included a $7.090 million dollar signing bonus.
He returned in 2021 after missing all but five games of the 2019 season and missed the entire 2020 season due to injury. The Chargers then picked up his fifth-year option back in April of 2021.
James later signed a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the Chargers back in 2022. He’s entering the final year of that deal and slated to make a base salary of $14.5 million in 2026.
In 2025, James appeared in 16 games for the Chargers and recorded 94 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, three interceptions and seven pass deflections.
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