Can the Chargers’ Derwin James Return to Form?

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers drafted Derwin James, a safety out of Florida State University. At pick 17, the Chargers had gotten an absolute steal. James was initially projected to be a top 10 pick, but injury concerns led to a drop in his value. General manager Tom Telesco deemed that picking James was worthwhile, as the upside far outweighted the risk of injury.

Telesco’s decision to draft James paid off immediately. In his rookie season, Derwin James was the runner-up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, losing out to the Indianapolis Colts’ Darius Leonard. James immediately became a team leader and the face of the Chargers defense. Hopes were high for his sophomore campaign in 2019, but these hopes were squashed immediately in training camp. Derwin James suffered a stress fracture in his right foot ahead of a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. James went on to play in only five games in 2019, but still managed to maintain a high level of play.

The Chargers missed the playoffs in 2019, which netted them the 6th overall pick in the 2020 Draft. With that pick, the Chargers drafted future star quarterback Justin Herbert, so James’ injury had a silver lining. Unfortunately, James wouldn’t be able to see Herbert blossom into a star on the field. James suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee in the 2020 offseason and spent the entire season on the Injured Reserve.

This season, though, James is fully healthy and ready to return to the field. There’s one major question: though he may be healthy, can James return to form?

Derwin James has the potential to return to his superstar form after suffering a meniscus tear last offseason. (via Chargers)

The Pros

• Full recovery period. Derwin James tore his meniscus on August 30th, 2020, meaning that he has had ample time to recover from the tear. According to James himself, there were no issues with the rehab, and he is on the field practicing with his teammates at full speed.
• History recovering from meniscus tears. This one is more of a double-edged sword. In 2016, while James was at Florida State, he suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee. He was able to make a full recovery from that injury and play all 12 games next season, but meniscus tears are worrisome. This previous injury shows that he can fully recover from the tear in his right knee so long as he rehabs effectively, which it seems like he has.
• Staley’s defensive scheme can help ease him into game day shape. If coach Brandon Staley sees that James is not ready to fully return, he can limit his snaps. With limited snaps (if he even needs them), James can get himself back into gameday form without being thrown into the crucible.

The Concerns

• He has history experiencing meniscus tears. James’s left meniscus tear in 2016 indicates that he can make a full recovery and play at an elite level. However, suffering a meniscus tear in both knees could prove more difficult to recover from. Whether he is able return to form or not depends on how effective his rehab was.
• James has new coaches and defensive schemes. While Staley is a gifted defensive mind, learning an entirely new system can be time-consuming, especially if it is complex. James will need to spend a suitable amount of time studying the new scheme, if he hasn’t already.
•  He has not played in a game since 2019. James’s last played game in the NFL was back in Week 17 of the 2019 season. This means that he has not played a snap in a proper NFL game in almost two years. It will not be easy to get himself back into proper form, but his work ethic should propel him back to form.

Derwin James is practicing at full speed at OTAs, a good sign for his health going into the season. (via Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

So Can He Do It?

With all that said, it is very possible that James can return to form. While he has certainly faced a number of setbacks, his work ethic is not something to be overlooked. It’s not everyday that an NFL defense filled with numerous stars starts to follow the lead of a rookie. That’s just how special James was (and still is) to this team. His game sense and freakish athletic ability can elevate the defense to levels never seen before for the Chargers. Not to mention, meniscus tears, if they are properly rehabbed, dont often have lasting effects. With all that said, it is safe to say that Derwin can return to form, and possibly reach even greater heights.

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