Looking Back Broncos: The Ja’Wuan James disaster

TL;DR

Ja'Wuan James, a former Broncos tackle, suffered a torn Achilles in May 2021, leading to his release just 10 days later. He played only three games for the team after signing a four-year, $51 million contract in 2019.

Key points

Ja'Wuan James signed a 4-year, $51 million contract with the Broncos in 2019
He played only 3 games for the team due to injuries and opting out in 2020
James was released by the Broncos after tearing his Achilles in May 2021
He received $18.2 million from the Broncos during his time with the team
The Broncos settled a grievance with James for $1.09 million

Denver BroncosJa'Wuan James

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Trainers come to the aid of Denver Broncos Offensive Tackle Ja'Wuan James (70) during the Monday Night Football Season Opener between the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 9, 2019 at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It was just 5 short years ago, May 4, 2021, that Broncos free agent tackle Ja’Wuan James tore his achilles while working out away from the team. James signed a 4-year, $51-million contract on March 13, 2019 that briefly made him the highest-paid right tackle in history. In his first game, a Monday night season opener against the Raiders in 2019, he injured his knee and that was essentially it for him with the Broncos. While he did appear in 3 games that season, his expected impact never materialized. James did not play in 2020, opting out of the season because of his concerns surrounding the on-going COVID pandemic. After the achilles tear that occurred exactly 5-years ago today, the Broncos had finally had enough and released James just 10-days later, on May 14, 2021. Because the Broncos gave millions to a player who ultimately did not play, they were understandably hesitant to fork over any more cash on, what was, a total lost cause. When James filed a $15 million grievance for what he believed he was owed, the Broncos were happy to settle for just $1.09 million just to wash their hands of him. In the end, the Broncos got 3-games out of him. He got $18.2 million. It remains one of the biggest free agent disasters in Broncos history right up there with the acquisition of Dale Carter and Daryl Gardener. However, it was just one of the dozens of issues with the Broncos in the post-Peyton (or pre-Payton) era. Even if James had played, the Broncos still wouldn’t have had much of a prayer of sniffing any sort of success. Look how far Broncos Country has come!

Q&A

What happened to Ja'Wuan James during his time with the Broncos?

Ja'Wuan James tore his Achilles while working out away from the team in May 2021, leading to his release from the Broncos shortly after.

How much did Ja'Wuan James earn from the Denver Broncos?

Ja'Wuan James earned $18.2 million from the Broncos despite only playing three games during his tenure with the team.

What was the outcome of Ja'Wuan James' grievance against the Broncos?

Ja'Wuan James filed a $15 million grievance against the Broncos, but they settled for $1.09 million to resolve the issue.