Chargers' Derwin James Reshapes Look to Get Back to 'The Real DJ3' Ahead of 2022 Season Opener

Derwin James has a new look, getting back to his Florida State roots, ahead of the Chargers' 2022 season opener.

Nicholas Cothrel | Sep 8, 2022

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Los Angeles Chargers

COSTA MESA – Chargers star safety Derwin James was all smiles this week while speaking with reporters. There's a different buzz in the building with the start of the regular season sitting just three days away from kickoff.

"It’s just good energy around the building, around the team," James said. "I just feel good.”

It's been a busy last month and a half for James. He executed a contract hold-in approach, showing up each day to training camp, partaking in meetings, workouts and walkthroughs, but observing from off to the side throughout the duration of practices.

Ultimately, it led to a record-breaking contract extension as James agreed to a four-year, $76.532 million deal to remain the centerpiece of the Chargers defense.

Now, as he and the Chargers sit on the doorstep of the Week 1 showdown, James has reshaped his appearance, getting back to the look he rocked during his time in college.

James has cut his dreads, going with a short hair appearance.

“I just wanted to get it a little cleaner," James said. "I want to go back to the real DJ3.”

James has also switched numbers this offseason, moving on from No. 33 that he's worn across his first four NFL seasons. He's switched to No. 3, the number he wore at Florida State.

After cutting his hair, James hit up head coach Brandon Staley to show him.

“Every great actor has to change his or her look," Staley said of James. "That’s part of it. He FaceTime’d me over the weekend. I’m in full support of that. He looks handsome. I told him, as long as your wife is good with it, that’s the main thing. I said, ‘I’m going to be good with whatever you do.’

"Again, it gives you kind of a fresh sense of the beginning. He looks good out there. He has a new haircut, has a new number, but is still the same Derwin. He’s rocked it before. He’s been with Kiah for a long time. He’s had that look before, that was his draft day look. He’s still a young man.”

The new-look James will seek redemption on Sunday, Sept. 11 at SoFi Stadium when they play host to the Las Vegas Raiders – the Chargers' AFC West rival who ended their 2021 season in a Week 18 overtime loss.

“I was just a little disappointed. Nobody in the locker room wanted the season to end like that," James said on what he was feeling when he walked off the field in Week 18 last year. "Like I said, we get a new opportunity, new chance this year to make it right, where it doesn’t have to come down to that.”

The Chargers have added six new starters on defense this offseason in hope that they can match the team's high-flying offense. But they're not the only team in the AFC West who's added marquee players over the last six months.

Just as the Chargers spent heavily this offseason, so did the Raiders. Las Vegas traded for Davante Adams, one of the league’s top wide receivers. In speaking about what challenges Adams creates, James indicated that they'll have their work cut out in slowing down the Raiders' new pass catcher.

“He’s one of the best at what he does," James said. "You have to be ready for kind of everything. One of the best receivers we’re going to go up against this year.”

With cornerback J.C. Jackson's game status unclear at this point, as he continues to recover from an ankle procedure that was completed just over two weeks ago, the Chargers could throw a variation of different defenders at Adams on Sunday, including a chance that James gets his crack at him.

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.

Published Sep 8, 2022

NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel is the publisher for Charger Report, covering the Los Angeles Chargers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel.