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- Mar 19, 2019
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Chargers safety Derwin James hopes to return this season.
The team put him on injured reserve after he underwent surgery on his right foot Aug. 22, so he will miss at least half the season. But eight games with James is better than 16 games without him.
“That’s the goal. That’s the goal,” James said Thursday in his first comments since his surgery, via video from Gilbert Manzano of the Southern Cal News Group. “. . .All I know is, man, is I’ve got to keep working and however it’s looking. I know I’ve got to be on there for eight weeks because I’m on IR. So however it’s looking, I’m going to look at it and play it smart and keep working my butt off like I’m doing every day. I want to be out there, man.”
James, a first-round choice in 2018, earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. He injured his foot on an interception in a joint practice against the Saints.
James originally had the stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal heading into his sophomore season at Florida State.
“It’s been hard watching, watching my team, but I’m going to continue to take it day by day, step by step, continue to get better, heal up,” James said.
He is in a walking boot and getting around on a scooter. So on Thursday, James rewarded all of the defensive backs with customized electric scooters bearing their names and numbers.
“It was very disappointing because I want to be out there as much as I can especially with the momentum I was having coming into the season so it kind of sucks,” James said. “But it’s part of ball.”