Chargers, Derwin James Contract Extension is Latest Big Win for LA
The Los Angeles Chargers didn't take long to get a long-term contract extension done with star safety Derwin James.
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz just got done this week publicly talking about wanting to get a deal done.
Now it is. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chargers and James agreed on a three-year, $75.6 million deal. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's a $25.2 million per-year deal with $57.5 million fully guaranteed.
James, 30, had one year left on his current contract going into 2026 that would have made him a $24.6 million cap hit. He was a key priority to get done this summer for a Chargers team that just lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, replacing him with Chris O'Leary.
During the Jim Harbaugh era, James has enjoyed immense success near the line of scrimmage in the slot. That projects to continue in 2026 and well into the future as it maximizes his skill set.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 4:02 PM.