The Chargers’ Derwin James, who bounced back from a down 2023 season to earn second-team All-Pro honors in his first season in coordinator Jesse Minter’s defense, was voted among the top five safeties in the NFL by a panel of eight Associated Press pro football writers.

The AP panel is ranking the top five players at each position, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

James, who placed fifth in the rankings, is one of the most versatile safeties, getting extensive time working in the slot, as a box safety, a deep safety and even as a pass rusher, where he had the second-most pressures of any safety last season.

Atop the safeties list is Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton, who has quickly proved that he can be a jack of all trades on the Ravens’ stellar defense, thriving in the slot, the box or as a deep safety.

But it was the decision to move Hamilton to free safety midway through last season that helped eliminate the big plays and boost the Ravens’ defense.

Hamilton’s talent and versatility helped him earn the honor of being voted the top safety in the league.

Hamilton got five first place-votes, one second and one third to claim the top spot. Detroit’s Kerby Joseph got the other three first-place votes and finished second.

Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney, Detroit’s Brian Branch, with James rounding out the top five.

Atlanta’s Jessie Bates, Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr., Miami’s Minkah Fitzpatrick, Denver’s Brandon Jones, Arizona’s Budda Baker and Houston’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson also received votes.

TOP TIGHT ENDS

Perhaps no position requires a wider range of skills to succeed in the NFL than tight ends, who are asked to thrive as receivers in the middle of the field as well as being key parts to the run and pass games with their blocking.

While many teams divide those roles among multiple players, George Kittle’s ability to do it all for the San Francisco 49ers as one of the most efficient receivers and top blockers helped him score the honor of being voted the top tight end in the league by The AP’s writers’ panel.

Kittle got five first-place votes and three seconds to win the voting. Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers was the only other player selected on all eight ballots and came in second with two first-place votes, five seconds and one fifth.

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce got the other first-place vote and finished third, followed by Arizona’s Trey McBride and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews.

Detroit’s Sam LaPorta and Minnesota’s T.J. Hockenson also received votes.

CONTRACT CHATTER

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the deadline to sign franchise-tagged guard Trey Smith to a multiyear contract, agreeing to terms Tuesday on a $94 million deal, a person with knowledge of the move told The AP.

The four-year contract includes $70 million guaranteed, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been announced.

Smith, 26, now has the highest average salary of any player at his position in the NFL at $23.5 million annually.

The Chiefs had until 1 p.m. PDT Tuesday to work out a deal beyond this season after giving Smith the franchise tag in March.

HONORING MONK

The Washington Commanders are retiring Hall of Fame wide receiver Art Monk’s No. 81 this season.

Monk is the sixth player in franchise history to get that honor, joining Darrell Green, Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sonny Jurgensen and Sean Taylor.

The team announced that Monk would have his number retired Nov. 2 when the Commanders host the Seattle Seahawks for a Sunday night game in Week 9.

Monk was part of all three of Washington’s Super Bowl teams during the organization’s glory days and is arguably one of the greatest players in franchise history. He played 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with Washington.

From his debut in 1980 through 1993, Monk caught 888 passes for 12,026 yards and 65 touchdowns during the regular season and 69 passes for 1,062 yards and seven TDs in the playoffs. An All-Pro pick in 1982 and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

BRIDGEWATER SUSPENDED

Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said he has been suspended from coaching his former high school team in Miami because he provided players with financial benefits that he says he’d reported to the school.

Bridgewater, 32, publicized action taken against him by Miami Northwestern High School in a social media post in which he also reaffirmed his desire to continuing coaching the team for which he once played.

Last fall was Bridgewater’s first season coaching his former school, which he led to a Class 3A state championship before signing with the Detroit Lions in late December to serve as a backup.

Bridgewater had written in an earlier social media post that he paid for rides, meals and treatment for players last season. This year, he solicited donations to help cover those costs.

He said in his more recent post that he reported those payments to the school.

Bridgewater has appeared in 79 regular-season NFL games during 10 seasons split among Minnesota, New Orleans, Carolina, Miami, Denver and Detroit.