Ravens Sign OT Ja'Wuan James, Who Has Filed Grievance Against Broncos
The Ravens signed injured offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James to a two-year contract worth up to $9 million, according to ESPN Adam Schefter.
That deal includes $500,000 in guaranteed rehab money as James recovers from an Achilles injury. He is not expected to be back on the field until 2022.
James filed a $15 million grievance against the Broncos after they released him last month. He tore his Achilles while working out at an off-site location. Since this happened away from the Broncos’ facility, the team has the ability through the collective bargaining agreement to withhold his 2021 base salary, which was a guaranteed $10 million.
James filed a grievance looking to recoup $10 million in salary for the 2021 season and $5 million in salary for the 2022 season.
James had been working out at the Broncos’ facility this offseason until the NFLPA urged players to boycott the voluntary workouts due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19. Denver's players announced in early April that they wouldn't be participating in the team's OTAs this offseason.
"With offseason programs starting in less than a week and without adequate protocols in place in order for us players to return safely, we will be exercising our right to not participate in voluntary offseason workouts," Denver's players said in a statement by the NFL Players Association. "COVID-19 remains a serious threat to our families and to our communities, and it makes no sense to us as players to put ourselves at risk during this dead period."
James has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons and has played 63 snaps over three games — all in 2019 — signing a four-year, $51 million deal with the Broncos from Miami in March 2019. He suffered a torn meniscus and a torn MCL in separate games in 2019.
He's played a 16-game season twice over his six-year career — 2014 as a rookie and 2016.
James has been a solid, dependable tackle when he can stay healthy.
