Welcome to Part 6 of our 2024 positional recaps, a series that will run through the next few weeks and highlight 11 Chargers position groups. We'll focus on key stats, memorable moments and look to what lies ahead in 2025.

The excitement around Derwin James, Jr., was brewing all offseason from coaches and players alike.

Once the season kicked off, it was easy to see why.

The motivated Chargers star safety did it all in 2024 and put together one of his best all-around seasons on the way to Second-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

A team captain once again, James was second on the team in tackles, tackles for loss and notched an interception. He also set a career-high with 5.5 sacks this year, a mark that also was the highest among all NFL defensive backs.

James and his coaches talked about wanting to reclaim his spot as one of the top safeties in the league heading into the season.

It's safe to say he did just that.

"To me, he's like the head of the snake," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said during the season. "He drives everything with his mindset, his approach.

"He's willing to line up anywhere we ask and attack it with a crazy amount of focus and detail and competitiveness and spirit," Minter added.

Chargers safeties coach Chris O’Leary added: "Elite. That's just the word that comes to mind. Elite person, elite competitor, elite football player… He's the best I've been around."

James thrived in his first year in Minter's defense and made an impact on every level of the defense. He played 361 snaps at slot corner, 281 in the box and 234 at free safety this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Part of the reason he was able to move around was because of Elijah Molden, who played a key role in the NFL's best scoring defense.

Molden, who was added the Bolts via trade before the regular season, had a breakout season and hauled in three interceptions, the second-most on the team.

He was key in coverage as well allowing a 35.2 passer rating according to Next Gen Stats, the fourth-lowest among qualified defensive backs.

Molden suffered a season-ending injury in Week 17 but was a big figure in the safety room in 2024.

"I had a sense of confidence that I knew I was capable of having the performance I had," Molden said after the season. "And I can be so much better. I pride myself on getting better every year. Barring injuries in the past, I've done that."

Veteran Alohi Gilman was also back in the powder blue this season after re-signing in the offseason.

Although a stint on Injured Reserve limited him to 11 games on the season, he was back making plays and made it four straight seasons with at least one interception.

Injuries struck the group hard at various points of the season, but it gave way players like veteran Tony Jefferson, who played a vital role down the stretch of the season after being away from football in 2023. Jefferson became a steady veteran in the secondary that was needed at crucial moments.

Stepping up was the story of the season for the group, as safeties like Marcus Maye, Eddie Jackson and Kendall Williamson also got action throughout the season.

Notable Number

James wreaked havoc on the quarterback even when he wasn't bringing him down.

The Chargers star safety was tied for the most quarterback pressures among defensive backs in the NFL with 21 during the regular season, according to Next Gen Stats. He was six pressures clear of second place.

It was the most pressures James has had since his rookie season, when he had 24 and also put together an All-Pro season.

Memorable Moment

Perhaps no game shows the resilience of the safety unit more than Week 13 against the Falcons.

With Gilman placed Injured Reserve the day before the game, the Chargers were down to James, Molden, Jefferson and a newly acquired Maye, who was claimed off waivers the Wednesday before the game.

But despite Jefferson and Maye not seeing a ton of action up to that point of the season, they stepped up in a massive way and continued the 'next man up' mentality the secondary took on all year.

Maye even had a turning point moment of the game, picking off Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in the end zone early in the fourth quarter to take away Atlanta points.

Even though he only went through a walk-through and a semi-speed practice, he filled in and made a game-changing play.

James later sealed the road win with an interception of his own as the Falcons drove into Chargers territory with under a minute remaining.

In an afternoon filled with clutch defensive plays, the safety unit was involved in two of the biggest ones.

Regular-Season Stats

Derwin James, Jr.

Recorded 93 total tackles (60 solo), seven passes defended, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and one interception; appeared in 16 games (16 starts) and played 984 defensive snaps (90.03 percent)

Elijah Molden

Recorded 75 total tackles (43 solo), seven passes defended, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries; appeared in 15 games (12 starts) and played 760 defensive snaps (69.5 percent)

Alohi Gilman

Recorded 50 total tackles (34 solo), four passes defended, one tackle for loss, a sack and one interception; appeared in 11 games (11 starts) and played 655 defensive snaps (59.9 percent)

Tony Jefferson

Recorded 27 total tackles (17 solo) and one tackle for loss; appeared in eight games (four starts) and played 224 defensive snaps (20.5 percent)

Marcus Maye

Recorded 12 total tackles (six solo), two passes defended and one interception; appeared in four games (one start) and played 112 defensive snaps (10.3 percent)

AJ Finley

Recorded 10 total tackles (six solo); appeared in 10 games and played 43 defensive snaps (3.9 percent)

Eddie Jackson

Appeared in two games and played 42 defensive snaps (3.8 percent).

Kendall Williamson

Recorded three total tackles (two solo); appeared in two games and played 19 defensive snaps (1.7 percent)

1 Question for 2025

How does the safety group build on their impressive season in Year 2 under Minter?

The Chargers defense was one of the major stories of the season in 2024, and it only creates more excitement for what it could look like in 2025.

How James grows off of his All-Pro season next year is a story to watch alone, as he now gets another year of familiarity in Minter's defense he praised a lot during the season.

"He allows me to play free, not think, not overthink, not try to solve every problem, play fast," James said about Minter during the season.

The same could be said about the rest of the safeties, who played an instrumental role in not letting anything drop off no matter who was in — something they want to continue to do.

It remains to be seen how the group shakes out, as Molden, Maye and Jefferson are slated to hit free agency when the new League Year begins on March 12.

But the group led by James now has a full offseason to make the 2025 version of the safeties even better.

"I know next year we're going to come back even stronger with Coach Minter," James said. "Everybody having full year together, it's is going to be a lot of fun."