Ja’Wuan James, Denver Broncos. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Ja’Wuan James’ Denver Broncos tenure has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster.
For the second year in a row, Denver Broncos offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James will miss the entire season.
Since arriving in Denver in 2019 after five solid years with the Miami Dolphins, the former Tennessee Volunteers standout has played in a grand total of three games for the Broncos. He missed all but three games in 2019 due to a knee injury. James opted out of last year. During a private workout away from the team facility, he tore his Achilles tendon, thus, ending his season.
By working out away from the team facility, the Broncos do not have to pay him a cent of that $10 million he is slated to make in annual salary. This is so unbelievably and heartbreakingly brutal.
Denver Broncos: Ja’Wuan James will miss the 2021 season with a torn Achilles
Denver was one of the first teams to opt out of voluntary workouts at the team facilities this summer. While these workouts were completely voluntary in nature, James’ potentially career-ending injury is a reason why working out at the team facility could have been the way to go. You get two free meals, some extra cash for working out and if you get hurt, you are not screwed.
When the Broncos signed James to a four-year deal worth $51 million during 2019 NFL free agency, they were hoping to get a high-quality book-end tackle to close out his prime. Instead, they have gotten on one game a season over the first three-quarters of the contract. There is just no way around it at this point other than this is a completely crummy situation for both parties.
Here is to a speedy recovery and James returning to the field after a three-year absence in 2022.