COSTA MESA — Coach Brandon Staley actually went there Wednesday. In the midst of a detailed explanation of all the things great and small that safety Derwin James Jr. does for the Chargers, including the various roles and positions he plays, Staley actually compared him to NBA superstar LeBron James.
To be clear, Staley wasn’t comparing Derwin James to LeBron James when it comes to championships won or records set or spots reserved in the Hall of Fame someday. Staley wasn’t comparing heights and weights or skills on the football field to skills on the basketball court.
No, what Staley was saying was that Derwin James’ remarkable versatility on the field compares to LeBron James’ remarkable versatility on the court.
“He’s like that LeBron James-type player where he can just do everything,” Staley said of the Chargers’ James. “The thing that makes LeBron unique is he plays all five positions and he plays them all at a premium level. He can do everything at the highest level you could ask anyone to do. Point guard. (Shooting) guard. Scoring. Three-pointers. Guard anyone. Scoring. Transition.
“You name it and LeBron can do it. That’s something rare.”
So, how does Derwin James fit into that elite category of athlete?
“With Derwin, that’s why everyone reveres him because they know not everyone can do that,” Staley said. “He’s still improving. That’s the thing with players like him, he’s still got a lot of capacity to grow. That’s what we’re focused on with him, all the little things that can help his game and get even more out of him.
“That’s what we’re searching for.”
It’s not just that James leads the Chargers, and all NFL defensive backs, with 100 tackles going into Sunday’s game against the Raiders in Las Vegas, but that he does it from various positions. Depending on the circumstances, depending on the down and distance, he could be almost anywhere.
James is listed as a safety, of course, but he’s capable of playing as a linebacker, as a cornerback or in any number of other spots. Staley often refers to James as the “heartbeat” of the Chargers’ defense. He did so again Wednesday, saying, “He’s doing the job of six other players.”
“He’s that rare guy who can do it all,” Staley said of the Chargers’ James. “He can rush (the passer). He can play the run. He can play zone. He can cover man-to-man in the slot. He can match up on guys. And he’s the heartbeat of your team. I say it all the time. Last week was his signature play.”
Staley spoke of James’ leaping interception of a Kyler Murray pass intended for DeAndre Hopkins in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 25-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. James’ interception, his first of the season, set up the second of Justin Herbert’s three touchdown passes.
In the first quarter, James forced a fumble that halted the Cardinals’ first drive of the game at the Arizona 47-yard line. Defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered the loose ball after James knocked it from the hands of Cardinals running back James Conner.
Raiders coach Josh McDaniels watched the video and was as impressed as ever by James.
“Derwin James (is) all over the field, as good a safety as we see, no doubt about it – really good blitzer, good in coverage, finds the ball, gets it off of people, got it off Arizona the other day,” McDaniels told reporters in Las Vegas during his session with them Wednesday.
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James expressed surprise and thanks when relayed Staley’s comments.
“He said that?” James asked when told Staley compared him to the Lakers’ James. “I appreciate that. I don’t try to look at myself like LeBron, but I look at myself like I can do a lot to help this team win. Playing in the box. Playing deep. But I’m not out here thinking I’m LeBron James.”
Playing different positions and being a difference-maker isn’t new for James. He learned to make the adjustments while at Florida State, and he said he found his comfort zone by playing video games and moving a player around the field and getting a feel for the shifting spots while seated on his couch.
“At first, I used to imitate it in a video game, as crazy as it sounds,” he said. “Just trying to move my player around. Then, when I tried it in college, I was like, ‘Hey, this isn’t as bad as I think it is.’ I don’t want to be the guy just playing positions. If I’m going to move somewhere, I want to play them at a high level.”