Chargers: Derwin James Contract Proves A New Era Is Here
The Los Angeles Chargers gave Derwin James a very deserved contract extension, and by doing so are continuing to push a new era on defense.
Last week, the Los Angeles Chargers grabbed some headlines, as they extended 2017 first-round pick and superstar safety Derwin James with a four-year deal that is worth $76.4 million, with an average annual value of $19.13 million. Adam Schefter reported on the deal, and James’ teammates and head coach Brandon Staley were stoked with the move.
Staley highlighted how versatile James can be, and Keenan Allen described him as the heart of the defense. Those two sentiments are extremely important, because it shows that these mega-deals for impact safeties aren’t going anywhere, especially in this era.
As the explosive passing game continued to thrive, the zone running game did so as well. The former required more coverage behind the rush, and the latter required getting more defenders into the box. Two-high and quarters coverage has been a way to combat that, with big bodies up front on the defensive line to neglect the need for defensive backs in the box, and playmaking defensive backs to match with tight ends and be dynamite in zone coverage.
After struggles on defense last season, that was exactly the Chargers’ approach in the offseason. They added Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day to help on the interior of the defensive line. This will allow James to not be as focused on filling his gap responsibilities as a box defender, and will allow him to be the versatile defender that he can be. He’ll certainly have reps there, especially blitzing, but coverage in the slot and middle of the field to neutralize the quick passing game will be crucial.
In a division that cosplayed an arms race in the offseason, the AFC West now requires immense talent on the back end to deal with the plethora of playmakers in the division. A healthy Derwin James makes the Los Angeles Chargers a big threat in the division and can help the defense reach new heights under Staley. It also opens the door for versatile safeties to get these deals going forward, as their responsibilities will grow in the two-high/quarters era. It’s just the beginning.