Dolphins exercise fifth-year option on Ja’Wuan James
By Ynal Al-Ouri
The Miami Dolphins exercised the fifth year option on their right tackle, Ja’Wuan James. This option will pay him around $9 million during the 2018 season.
The Dolphins exercised the fifth-year option on their right tackle, Ja’Wuan James. This option will pay him around $9 million during the 2018 season. James has proved to be a key cog for Miami’s offensive line unit, as he has started 40 games over the last three seasons.
James was drafted by the Dolphins during the 2014 draft, where they selected him 19th overall in the first round. Miami’s offensive line unit was ranked near the bottom in 2016 per PFF, but James graded out as their best run blocker, and as their best overall graded lineman.
With the Dolphins having established a legitimate run game last season with running back Jay Ajayi, it is important that they keep their main offensive lineman in tact with their team. Keeping James around until at least the 2018 season seemed like a move that will keep the Dolphins’ run game arrow pointing up.
The #Dolphins have exercised the fifth year option on Ja'Wuan James, which will pay him roughly $9M for the 2018 season.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) May 1, 2017
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Miami finished last season with a 10-6 record, which was good enough to earn them a playoff spot for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Dolphins have showed the desire to retain their main players this past offseason, by resigning many of their starters in order to continue to build chemistry between them.
Head coach Adam Gase will be going into his second season with the team, but he showed last season that the Dolphins are ready to compete with the top teams in the AFC. If the Dolphins can stay healthy, they have a chance to prove that last season’s playoff team was no fluke.