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The Broncos have no reason not to bail on Ja’Wuan James

May 6, 2021, 4:09 PM | Updated: 4:12 pm

The Broncos have a chance to get out from under the deal they gave Ja’Wuan James prior to the 2019 season. But not everyone thinks they should.

The right tackle has played a grand total of 63 snaps during his time in Denver. He played parts of three games in ’19 and opted out a season ago, earning $17.15 million along the way.

James still has three years and $34 million left on his deal, with $10 million guaranteed. The contract is an albatross.

But the Broncos have a way out.

Because the NFLPA is trying to renegotiate the collective bargaining agreement just 14 months after signing it, many players are boycotting voluntary OTAs. Instead of working out at team facilities, many players are training on their own.

That sounds like a fairly simple protest. It’s but it wasn’t without risk.

As many pointed out when the protest began last month, the players were rolling the dice by not reporting. If they are injured working out with the team, their salary is guaranteed. If it happens when they’re on their own, however, the team can void the contract.

In the past, teams would typically honor the deal, regardless of where the injury occurred. Such was the case in 2010 when Ryan Clady was injured playing basketball during the offseason; the Broncos still paid him.

But in this instance, it could be different. This time around, it wasn’t a bad break. Instead, it was a totally avoidable problem.

That’s why the NFL issued a memo on Wednesday, reminding players and teams that contracts are protected if an injury occurs away from the team facility. The message was clear: Ja’Wuan James is a cautionary tale that those still boycotting should heed.

Given the tone of the memo, the Broncos will probably void James’ deal. There’s pressure from the league to send a message.

Some have suggested they shouldn’t go that route, however. Even though it’s within their rights, the argument is that the Broncos should “do the right thing” and honor the deal.

That position would be stronger if James had down things differently during his first two seasons in Denver. The team would feel more obliged to take care of him if he’d given a better effort.

During his first training camp, James repeatedly skipped practices. Then during the season, he missed 13 full games due to various injuries, despite never going on injured reserve and never going under the knife.

The team questioned his toughness. Even teammates admitted that he had to regain their trust.

Then last year, James opted out due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. While certainly within his rights, the decision didn’t earn him any points at Dove Valley.

James has already earned $277,777 per snap played in a Broncos uniform. If they pay him for the 2021 season, that number will balloon to $436,508 per snap.

Why on earth would the Broncos do that?

If James was a long-time member of the team, they might consider it. It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t honor Von Miller’s deal if he got injured away from the facility. It’d be bad PR to not take care of an all-time great.

If James was a part of the team’s long-term plans, there’d also be reason to pay him for not playing. Justin Simmons wouldn’t be cut loose if he hurt himself working out on his own, as he has a future with the Broncos beyond 2022.

James doesn’t fall into either category. He hasn’t earned any goodwill. And he isn’t someone the franchise needs to keep happy.

The only other argument for paying him is the belief that the Broncos will get a bad reputation if they don’t. There’s a theory that other players will hold it against the organization if they part ways with James.

Maybe that’s true. Maybe it isn’t. But is it worth $10 million to find out?

Most likely, future free agents will sign in Denver if the money is right and the team is a contender. They won’t take less and play for a worse team because they want to show solidarity with James.

By the same token, the Broncos won’t earn any points with the players for not cutting the right tackle loose. It’s hard to imagine a player signing for less with Denver down the road because the team was “honorable” in this situation. They won’t get any discounts down the road.

It all adds up to bad news for James. The right move for the Broncos is to cut him loose.

The right tackle has no one to blame but himself. He’s a classic example of someone reaping what they sow.

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The Broncos have no reason not to bail on Ja’Wuan James