Derwin James has been re-signed by the Chargers on a four-year deal running through 2029, replacing the final year of his previous contract and fully guaranteeing major portions of the new money.
The Chargers didn’t wait for the last second. They moved while Derwin James still had leverage on the clock—and while the safety market could have pulled him away.
James, a first-round pick in 2018, was entering the last year of his second contract. He had been due to make $17.5 million. Now, that figure is effectively replaced by a new four-year agreement that runs through 2029.
The contract totals four additional years of money, and it comes with guarantees that cover the key early pieces. The signing bonus is $12 million. There’s also a $3 million 2026 90-man roster bonus, fully guaranteed.
For the league calendar, the guaranteed base salary numbers are what stand out. James is set to earn a fully guaranteed $11.5 million in 2026. In 2027, his fully guaranteed base salary rises to $17.5 million.
In 2028, his base salary is $24.6 million. Of that, $13.5 million is guaranteed for injury at signing, and that amount becomes fully guaranteed in March 2027.
By 2029, the structure shifts again. James will receive a $3 million 90-man roster bonus in 2029, plus a $21.5 million base salary.
The early-year guarantee is where the deal becomes especially clean. The first two years of the agreement, at a payout of $44 million, are fully guaranteed at signing. The $13.5 million guarantee in 2028 is described as fully guaranteed in practical terms. given the very low chance the Chargers would cut James after one year and still be responsible for a total obligation of $44 million.
With the new money, the average value of the three new years lands at $25.2 million. The total average of the four-year package from signing is $23.275 million.
Derwin James Los Angeles Chargers NFL contract safety 2026 base salary 2027 base salary 2028 base salary 2029 roster bonus contract extension