By Tim Peterson
The Chargers made one thing clear this week. Derwin James is their safety now and for the immediate future. The Chargers and James agreed to a three-year, $76.5 million deal making James the highest paid safety in the league.
James, 29, is set to earn over $25 million per year on the contract which he is guaranteed to earn $57.5 million.
James, who is considered a great locker room guy and a leader, is the only defensive back with 30-plus quarterback hits, 30-plus tackles for loss and 30-plus passes defended over the last five seasons.
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The Chargers began OTAs this week and will hold them for the next three weeks. No live contact is permitted during OTAs, but teams can do 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills.
The Bolts will also hold a mandatory minicamp June 16-18 at the Bolt in El Segundo.
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Rashawn Slater, who missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury, and Joe Alt, who suffered an ankle injury that limited him to just six games last year have both been out on the field during the offseason program.
The program features individual drills and multiple agility movements. Slater and Alt have both looked agile and smooth as they navigate through these drills.
Of course they still need to move into team situations this spring which will look different in Mike McDaniels’s offense. General Manager Joe Hortiz has been impressed with their work saying that they are “ahead of schedule.”
The ultimate goal for Slater and Alt is to be completely healthy for training camp and ready to go for the Week 1 opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
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James’ signing solidifies the safety room for the Chargers. Elijah Molden returns for his third year and will help to stabilize the back end. Tony Jefferson is also back after a good campaign a year ago. He is joined by second-year man RJ Mickens and Kendall Williamson, who also is a key special teams player who returned to LA in free agency this offseason.
The Chargers added a little depth to the group by drafting safety Genesis Smith out of Arizona in the fourth round of the NFL draft last month.
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