Derwin James Hits IR as the Winless Chargers Continue Their Freefall
Adam Schefter reported the move to injured reserve on X.
The have officially placed Derwin James Jr. on injured reserve, which feels less like breaking news and more like an annual autumn tradition. If you had late October in the Derwin James injury pool, please collect your winnings at the front desk.
The star safety has been dealing with a hamstring issue since late September, missing the last three games before suffering a setback this week. Now he is guaranteed to miss at least four more weeks, leaving the Chargers secondary looking like a witness protection program.
James initially tweaked the hamstring in practice before a Week 4 game against the . He sat out against the and , and just when it looked like the bye week might save him, the medical staff had to pull the plug.
This is a brutal blow for a team that is currently sitting at a catastrophic 0-6. Jim Harbaugh was supposed to come in and fix the culture, but right now the only thing getting consistent reps is the training room equipment.
Without their defensive anchor, the will have to rely on Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden to hold the back end together. For anyone looking at the totals this weekend, removing a former All-Pro from a winless defense usually does not result in a sudden lockdown performance.
The take on the this Sunday in a battle for a city that barely remembers either team plays there. James will be eligible to return in late November, assuming the have not completely forfeited the season by then.