Los Angeles Chargers star safety Derwin James has suffered a torn meniscus and will miss the entire 2020 season.
This will no doubt be a huge blow to the Chargers defense. Many around the league believed that a healthy James would have been a contender for Defensive Player of the Year honors this year.
The 24-year-old safety has become a star in his first two years in the league and is one of the defensive players many believe is changing the safety position with his versatility and ability to line up all over the field.
His rookie year in 2018 was spectacular, which ended with All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections after James registered 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, and 105 tackles.
James had a foot injury in 2019 that limited his playing time to only five games but was still able to look impressive and record 34 tackles.
Because of the rare athleticism and versatility that James displays, it’s going to be incredibly hard to find a replacement for him in the Chargers backfield. Nasir Adderley and Desmond King are two players that could potentially take James’s starting spot while he’s out.
The Chargers, who consider James a key building block on defense, can only hope that James recovers fully from the injury and is able to have a long and healthy career with the team.
