Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
James on free agency: ‘We’ll see what happens’
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Dolphins right tackle Ja’Wuan James wanted left tackle Laremy Tunsil to wait a little longer until his sweaty game jersey dried.
James and Tunsil planned to exchange their jerseys following Sunday’s 42-17 loss to the Bills that ended the Dolphins (7-9) season.
After all, it could have possibly been their final game together as teammates.
James — who was the highestpaid right tackle in the NFL this season, making $9.341 million in his fifth year with the Dolphins — will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
And James may or may not return to the team depending on how decisions surrounding the future of the franchise pan out before free agency begins in March.
“It all depends,” James said when asked if he wanted to resign with the Dolphins.
“It all depends on what the situation here is like.”
On Monday, Dolphins owner Steve Ross fired coach Adam Gase, reassigned vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum and promoted general manager Chris Grier to be in charge of all football operations.
So Grier will be in charge of hiring a head coach and all roster decisions.
While the Dolphins were unable to capitalize on some freeagent acquisitions such as center Daniel Kilgore and guard Josh Sitton this season, James and Tunsil proved they could be two foundational players for Miami’s offensive line at both tackle positions.
James, 26, could negotiate a significantly lucrative contract in a favorable free-agent market for right tackles.
He could be in the range of the highest-paid right tackles in the league in terms of annual salary next season.
Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson earns $11.2 million, while Detroit’s Ricky Wagner makes $9.5 million and Los Angeles Rams tackle Rob Havenstein averages $8.13 million per year.
“That’s for a couple months from now,” James said of his impending free agency. “We’ll see what happens.”
Still, what was at the forefront of James and Tunsil’s mind following the game was their jersey exchange to commemorate the moment.
“I love playing, getting to play with him the last three years. This year was definitely special for him. I haven’t seen a guy play the tackle position like that since I’ve been in the league,” James said of Tunsil.
“He’s a brother for life. No matter what happens, whether I’m here or not, he’s always going to be a brother.”