Broncos right tackle opts out of 2020 season

The Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC West rival Denver Broncos suffered a blow on Monday, as starting right tackle Ja’Wuan James announced that because of the coronavirus pandemic, he has decided to opt out of the 2020 season.

In a statement released on his Twitter account, James said he’d been considering this decision for some time.

“After continuous conversation with my family over the last couple weeks about the NFL figuring out the plan for the 2020 season, I’ve decided to opt out. It is tough, but the right decision. There’s just too much unknown about this virus and about plans handling it going forward. My wife and I were blessed with our newborn son on May 22 and he’s now my top priority. Although I worked all offseason and invested in my body to bounce back and have a great year on the field, it’s just not worth risking the health of my loved ones.”

The former first-round pick joined the Broncos in 2019, signing a four-year, $51 million contract after five seasons with the Miami Dolphins. But he suffered a knee injury last season, starting just three games — none of them against the Chiefs.

This is not good news for the Broncos. During their two 2019 games, the Chiefs notched 11 sacks against the Broncos’ offensive line.