Derwin James lands at No. 50 in NFL Top 100 of 2026

His May extension was worth $75.6 million over three years

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 271 min read

No. 50 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026… @Chargers S Derwin James! @NFLFilms https://t.co/956y0AV6cm Via @NFL on X

What happened: NFL players cast the ballots for the annual list. James climbed four spots from his No. 54 placement a year ago.

Why it matters: The recognition reinforces James’ standing at the center of Los Angeles’ defense entering the 2026 season. His new deal keeps him under contract through 2029.

By the numbers: James logged 123 snaps on the line of scrimmage, 231 at linebacker and 141 at safety in 2025. Linebacker accounted for 46.7% of those 495 snaps across the three levels.

What to watch: The countdown continues through August, with one top-10 player scheduled to be unveiled each weekday.

Sources

@NFL 2026-07-27T14:13:02.054207+00:00

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