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COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Chargers opened training camp Wednesday at Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex.

Here are my observations, notes and takeaways:

Derwin James holding in

Star safety Derwin James did not participate in Wednesday’s practice, and coach Brandon Staley revealed afterward that James is sitting out because of contract negotiations.

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James is on the final year of his rookie deal — the fifth-year team option the Chargers exercised last year. James wants a long-term extension. The Chargers want to sign James to that long-term extension. It is about the sides settling on a number, as it has been all offseason, and James is going to stay out of training camp practices until that agreement is reached.

James was on the field for walkthroughs at the start of the practice and is also lifting and working out with the team, but he will not participate in practice until he receives the extension. He did not have his helmet with him Wednesday and looked on from the sideline, giving pointers to his teammates.

“We’re working through his contract situation,” Staley said, “so just making sure that gets situated here.”

Day 1 pic.twitter.com/OkE9Usc2XJ

— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) July 27, 2022

Staley said the Chargers and James are close to finalizing a deal. So expect this to get done soon. James is essential to the defense and team. The Chargers need him on the field. And, with the way he played last season, James has earned a top-of-the-market extension.

To become the highest-paid safety in the league in terms of average annual value, James would need to sign a four-year, $73.2 million contract or a five-year, $91.5 million contract. Those deals would give him a slight edge over the Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick, who signed his four-year extension in June. I think those are the minimum deals James would agree to. The five-year deal would likely provide additional security.

“We’ve got full respect for Derwin, his agent David Mulugheta, who’s one of the best in the business,” Staley said. “I think there’s full respect on both sides, and they know how much we love Derwin, Derwin knows how much we love him, and we’re just working through that process right now. We’re going to let it take shape, and when it does, he’ll be out there playing.”

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James underwent left shoulder surgery after the Pro Bowl in February to repair a torn labrum. Staley said James is “100 percent” healed from that surgery and will be full speed once the contract gets done.

It is only a matter of time before that happens. Likely days, not weeks.

“Business has to come first in this situation,” Khalil Mack said of James. “We’ve all been there.”

Right tackle competition begins

The most important position battle in Chargers training camp this year is at right tackle. Storm Norton and Trey Pipkins III are the two players competing for that starting job, and they split first-team reps in Wednesday’s practice.

During 11-on-11, Norton was the first right tackle on the field with Justin Herbert and the first-team offense. Rashawn Slater was at left tackle, Matt Feiler at left guard, Corey Linsley at center and rookie Zion Johnson at right guard. Norton got the first three reps with the first team before Pipkins replaced him for the next three reps. It was the same rotation for the second 11-on-11 period. Norton and Pipkins also split reps with the second-team offense, each receiving two in front of backup quarterback Chase Daniel. Norton went first and Pipkins second in this rotation, as well.

The true evaluation for Norton and Pipkins will begin when the pads come on for the first time Monday. Staley said Wednesday was a good indication of how the reps will be split between Norton and Pipkins during camp. He added that “consistency in performance and being a complete tackle — run game, pass game” will decide the battle.

“We’re going to get a very accurate evaluation from them with who they have to block every single day, and obviously throughout the preseason in games,” Staley said. “We’re going to have a lot of opportunities to evaluate these guys, and I know that we have confidence in both of them. And it’s going to be fun to see these guys compete, and I think it’s not just about them, it’s how they play with the other four guys that are on their offensive line and obviously the other players around them, too. They’ve worked really hard. You can see big changes in both of them. They’re both confident football players, and that’s going to bring the best out in both of them.”

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I will be monitoring this competition all camp long and will have daily updates in these reports.

Highlights from team drills

On to some of the noteworthy plays from opening day …

• On the opening play of 11-on-11, Herbert rolled to his right on a play-action boot. He was looking for Mike Williams on a 10-yard comeback route. J.C. Jackson was in tight coverage and jumped the route for a pass breakup. Quite the start to camp for the high-priced free agent corner.

• On the second play of 11-on-11, Austin Ekeler took a handoff. Mack blew up the play with quick penetration off the defensive right edge for what would have been a tackle for loss if the two sides were tackling. That was one of two tackles for loss Mack had against the run Wednesday. As I wrote in the offseason, Mack’s impact on the run defense should not be understated. “That player that was out there today is the player that I’m used to seeing,” Staley said of Mack.

• The defense’s early domination continued on the fourth snap of 11-on-11 when Drue Tranquill shot through a gap up the middle for another tackle for loss on a handoff. Tranquill and free agent acquisition Kyle Van Noy were the two linebackers working with the first team defense.

• Rookie cornerback Deane Leonard had the play of the day in the secondary. Playing against Daniel and the second-team offense, Leonard was matched up on the outside with Jalen Guyton. Daniel saw the one-on-one matchup with the speedy Guyton and lofted a throw down the sideline. Leonard, though, was in prime position. He matched Guyton step for step, turned for the ball, and knocked it away for a pass breakup. Leonard was a standout in OTAs and is continuing to make plays.

• Easton Stick was running the third-team offense and threw an interception on his second 11-on-11 rep. The Chargers set up a screen, and Stick tried to float a throw to his left. But defensive lineman Joe Gaziano leaped, tipped the ball in the air and picked it off before returning it for a touchdown. Gaziano is fighting for a roster spot in a tightly contested interior defensive line group.

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• The offense finally broke through late in the day when Daniel hit rookie fullback Zander Horvath in the flat off play action. The play-action boot to the right got the defense flowing that way, and Horvath slipped away wide open. He exploded down the sideline for a big gain. Horvath has excellent speed for the position and ran 4.57 40 at his pro day. That showed up on this play.

• The Chargers offense had more success in seven-on-seven. Herbert connected with Williams twice, including a long gain down the seam. Herbert also hit Keenan Allen on a deep crosser.

• Rookie corner Brandon Sebastian nearly picked off Stick in seven-on-seven. Stick attempted a quick out to Joe Reed, and Sebastian jumped the throw. It would have been a pick-six if Sebastian had made the catch.

News and notes

• Inside linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. is starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list. He underwent ankle surgery in the spring and is not yet ready to practice. He worked off to the side with trainers Wednesday. Staley did not want to put a timetable on Murray’s return, but said Murray would be “practicing at some point in the next four to six weeks.”

Murray’s 2021 season was derailed by an ankle injury. He has not been able to stay on the field during his first two NFL seasons. When asked how much the missed time this camp will affect Murray’s role, Staley said: “It remains to be seen. That will be up to Kenneth, how much he is able to take what he knows, obviously in the classroom and then the walkthroughs, and then being able to translate it to the football field. But I know he’s working hard and he’s got a good mindset.”

• With Murray out, Van Noy is getting all of his reps at inside linebacker. He was at that spot next to Tranquill in walkthroughs. He worked with the inside linebackers during individual drills. And when the Chargers went through a special teams period, Van Noy was working one-on-one off to the side with inside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite, walking through some positioning specifics with cones.

• Staley prioritizes flexibility in the secondary, and that was evident Wednesday. Asante Samuel Jr. started on the outside with the first-team defense opposite Jackson, with Callahan in the slot. But in other formations and packages, Callahan was on the outside and Samuel was in the slot. Rookie Ja’Sir Taylor took reps on the outside and in the slot, as well, all with the second and third team.

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• Michael Davis is pretty clearly the fourth cornerback on the depth chart behind Jackson, Samuel and Callahan. He is going to have to earn his way back into playing time. He had one rep of really tight coverage on Guyton during seven-on-seven.

• Gabe Nabers and Horvath are in a position battle for the fullback spot. Nabers was working with the first team Wednesday. But this will largely come down to special teams production. We will see how both players fare when the pads come on, and in preseason games.

• The battle for a second running back spot is an open competition among rookie Isaiah Spiller, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III. Kelley got more run than I expected with the first team in this practice. But it is very, very early, and it is difficult to evaluate running backs without pads on. Much more to come on this. “I’m excited to see that competition take shape,” Staley said. Spiller had the best run of the day in 11-on-11, surging through a huge hole on the left side while working with the third-team offense.

• The interior of the first-team punt unit: Tranquill, Troy Reeder, Chris Rumph II, Josh Harris, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Rountree, Kelley, Nick Niemann. J.K. Scott was the punter. The gunners were working on the opposite field, so it was not a full-sided drill.

• Alohi Gilman filled in for James as the safety next to Nasir Adderley with the first-team defense in team drills.

• Brenden Jaimes played right guard and rookie Jamaree Salyer played left guard with the second-team offensive line. Will Clapp, a former Saint who the Chargers signed in late April, was the second-team center.

(Photo of Derwin James, right, and Nasir Adderley: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)

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