Los Angeles is home of some of the biggest football rumors right now.
There have been updates on the contract situations of Melvin Gordon and Philip Rivers. We heard recently that Keenan Allen is dealing with an ankle injury that could hold him out of the preseason.
But the biggest and most severe news came this afternoon in a tweet from NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport, who hears that Los Angeles’ star defensive back, Derwin James, is dealing with a fractured foot. He suffered the injury during practice yesterday. James is in a walking boot and is out indefinitely — or, as Rapoport puts it, “a significant amount of time.”
More on Derwin James: The team says it’s a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. He’ll continue to be evaluated. https://t.co/4hN2DnmArk
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2019
This is a massive loss for the Chargers.
James, 23, is coming off a huge rookie season that saw him being selected to the Pro Bowl and named a First-Team All-Pro. The 17th overall pick started all 16 games and picked off three passes while defending 13. He was responsible for 3.5 sacks, six QB hits, four tackles for a loss, and 105 total tackles (75 solo, 35 assisted).
Behind James on the Chargers’ depth chart is injured fifth-year safety, Adrian Phillips. After Phillips is second-year safety, Arrion Springs, and rookie Roderic Teamer, Jr. The free safety position features starter Rayshawn Jenkins, followed by a pair of injured safeties in Jaylen Watkins and Nasir Adderley, and then Adarius Pickett.
It seems inevitable that Los Angeles will search for a replacement for the time being — not a star, but at least someone who can get the job done. This is more likely to come in the form of a signing and not a trade.
Eric Berry, Brent Grimes, Glover Quin, and Rashaan Melvin are among the top free agents available to help replenish Los Angeles’ secondary for the time being.
