Chargers' James officially out for season
The Los Angeles Chargers announced Wednesday that star safety Derwin James underwent successful surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee and will be placed on injured reserve.
James will miss the entire 2020 campaign, but Los Angeles expects him to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2021 season.
The former first-round pick suffered the injury during practice Sunday, and his initial reported timetable was pegged at six-to-eight months.
James took the league by storm as a rookie in 2018, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. However, a foot issue limited James' sophomore campaign to just five games.
The 24-year-old is one of the NFL's true defensive chess pieces, lining up and excelling in multiple spots on Los Angeles' stop unit.
| Position | Career Snaps | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Edge/DL | 320 | 21.4% |
| Box safety | 644 | 43.1% |
| Slot CB | 265 | 17.8% |
| Outside CB | 33 | 2.1% |
| Free safety | 233 | 15.6% |
With James sidelined, the Chargers could deploy a committee approach at safety depending on defensive packages, with options including Desmond King, Rayshawn Jenkins, Nasir Adderley, and rookie Alohi Gilman.