Derwin James Hits IR as the Winless Chargers Continue Their Freefall

The Los Angeles Chargers 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.

"Adam Schefter reported the move to injured reserve on X."

James initially tweaked the hamstring in practice before a Week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks. He sat out against the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, 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 Los Angeles 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 Chargers 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 Chargers take on the Los Angeles Rams 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 Chargers have not completely forfeited the season by then.