Denver Broncos: Options to replace RT Ja’Wuan James

The Denver Broncos now have to replace starting RT Ja’Wuan James for 2020.

Over 40 players across the NFL have opted out of the 2020 season and more names are being added to the list by the day. One of the latest and most notable names added to the list? Denver Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James.

James missed most of the 2019 season for the Broncos despite being cleared by the team medically because of the mental hurdle of coming back from a significant knee injury. James’ lack of availability in 2019 was frustrating for all involved, but 2020 was supposed to be a clean slate.

This news was met with a lot of negativity on Twitter from Denver Broncos fans.

Among other things discussed in the note from James, the former big-ticket free agent pickup says that part of the reason he’s opting out is the fact that he now has a young child, as well as the fact that a family member of his has already been hospitalized due to COVID-19.

James also says that a false narrative was painted about him last season with his injury and recovery.

That is a fascinating claim from James and there’s more to that story than everyone knows, because the Broncos were not shy about saying James was medically cleared to play.

Regardless of the 2019 story, James won’t be playing in 2020. The Broncos now have to replace him in the starting lineup, and if they promote from within, they are also going to have to shuffle their offensive line group around elsewhere on the roster.

Who takes James’ spot in 2020? Let’s look at some of the options.