Chargers Place Safety Derwin James Jr. on Injured Reserve After Hamstring Setback
The five-time Pro Bowler, out since Sept. 27, will miss at least four more games as Los Angeles adds cornerback depth before facing the Rams
The Chargers will be without their best defensive player for at least another month. Los Angeles placed safety Derwin James Jr. on injured reserve Saturday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
James has been dealing with a hamstring injury and hasn't played since Sept. 27. He suffered a setback in his recovery, which Jim Harbaugh had pointed to earlier in the week, and the move to IR means he'll miss at least four more games before he's eligible to return.
Chargers placed S Derwin James Jr on injured reserve.View on X →
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Chargers placed S Derwin James Jr on injured reserve.
It's a significant loss for a defense that leans on James' versatility. The five-time Pro Bowler lines up all over the field, from deep safety to the slot to the box, and he's one of the highest-paid safeties in the league. Without him, the Chargers have had to piece together the back end for more than a month, and that now continues into the second half of the season.
Los Angeles moved to shore up the secondary around the IR placement. The Chargers signed cornerback Isas Waxter to the active roster and elevated cornerback Kaiir Elam from the practice squad for Sunday's game.
That game is a big one. The Chargers face the Rams on Sunday in the battle for Los Angeles, and they'll need the rest of the secondary to hold up without James for the foreseeable future. The earliest he could return is after the four-game minimum, and the team hasn't given a firmer timeline for the hamstring.