The Chargers have officially suffered a big loss on their defense.
Chargers safety Derwin James is going on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least half the season, General Manager Tom Telesco confirmed.
That was expected after James underwent surgery for a foot injury. The surgery took place on August 22 and had an anticipated 3-4 month recovery time, so James will probably not be back until late in the year.
The good news is that the decision to place James on injured reserve a day after putting him on the 53-man roster suggests that the Chargers do expect him to return. If he had gone on injured reserve before the 53-man roster cutdown, he would not have been eligible to return during the season.
The Chargers have to hope that they’re in playoff contention when James returns, at which point his return would be a major bonus. As a rookie last season, James was a first-team All-Pro.
