Tag: Right Tackle

Broncos sign veteran OT Demar Dotson

The Broncos are bringing in Demar Dotson on a one-year deal.

After right tackle Ja’Wuan James opted out of the 2020 season, the Denver Broncos had plenty of free agent offensive tackles to consider as potential replacements.

Denver ended up picking veteran Demar Dotson, a 34-year-old tackle who spent the first 10 years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dotson has agreed to terms on a one-year deal, according to multiple media reports.

Dotson (6-9, 315 pounds) entered the league as a college free agent out of Southern Mississippi with the Bucs in 2009. After starting in two games in 2010, Dotson became a full-time starter in 2011 and held on to the right tackle job through the 2019 season.

In 130 career games (106 starts), Dotson has committed 62 penalties and has allowed 33.5 sacks, according to STATS LLC. Last year, Dotson was penalized 10 times and allowed 3.5 sacks in 15 games.

The Broncos won’t hand Dotson the right tackle job. He will compete with Elijah Wilkinson, who committed six penalties and allowed eight sacks in 15 games (12 starts) last season. Garett Bolles will start on the left side.

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Report: Broncos have ‘parameters of deal’ in place with Demar Dotson

The Broncos appear close to signing offensive tackle Demar Dotson.

The Denver Broncos have the parameters of a deal in place with 34-year-old right tackle Demar Dotson, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Terms of the contract are unknown but it is likely a one-year deal.

Dotson (6-9, 315 pounds) signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a college free agent out of Southern Mississippi following the 2009 NFL draft. He became a regular starter in 2012 and remained a starter through the 2019 season.

Dotson has to test negative for COVID-19 and then the team will give him a physical examination. If he passes, Dotson will likely be signed early this week, according to Klis.

Denver is looking for more depth at right tackle after Ja’Wuan James opted out of the season. Elijah Wilkinson is expected to start in James’ place — Dotson would provide competition and veteran depth at tackle.

Dotson committed 10 penalties and allowed 3.5 sacks in 15 starts last season, according to STATS LLC. Wilkinson was penalized six times and allowed eight sacks in 12 starts.

The Broncos currently have three open spots on the roster.

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2 Broncos players opt out of 2020 NFL season

The NFL’s opt-out list has been finalized and the Broncos have two players on the list.

The NFL’s deadline for opting out of the 2020 season has passed and the Denver Broncos have two names on the 66-player list.

Defensive lineman Kyle Peko and right tackle Ja’Wuan James have decided not to play during the COVID-19 pandemic. Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller seriously considered opting out but has committed to play instead.

“The opt-out option is a player’s choice and a player’s right, and we’ll respect that if a player decides to do that,” Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said on July 28. “That’s absolutely, 100 percent their right, inherently. I’ve got no objection to that at all and would be supportive of that, if that’s what somebody wants to do.”

Peko was a longshot to make Denver’s 53-man roster. James was expected to start at right tackle. For now, Elijah Wilkinson is projected to start in James’ place. The Broncos might consider signing a free agent tackle or trading for an experienced option to replace James.

Denver currently has one player on the Reserve/COVID-19 list: tight end/fullback Andrew Beck. Beck has not opted out of the season — he will be eligible to return to the active roster once healthy.

USA TODAY has a complete list of all of the NFL opt outs on this page.

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Broncos will ask Elijah Wilkinson to step up — again

“Eli made a lot of progress last year,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said.

Elijah Wilkinson will be asked to step up this season, just as he was last year.

When starting right tackle Ja’Wuan James went down last season, Wilkinson — the backup swing guard/tackle — replaced him. James ended up dressing for just three games in 2019 and Wilkinson started 12 contests as an injury fill in.

This year, Wilkinson will be asked to fill in again after James decided to opt out of the 2020 season. If James had decided to play, Wilkinson would have competed with Garett Bolles for the starting left tackle job.

Given that Wilkinson has spent his career at guard and right tackle, Bolles would have been the clear favorite on the left side. Now Wilkinson will be the clear favorite to start on the right side.

“I thought Eli made a lot of progress last year throughout the season,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said during a Zoom conference call on Aug. 4. “He ended the last game and a half where he hurt his ankle.

“As it relates to Eli, it’s a good thing for him personally because now he gets to go back to the position that he spent 800-900 snaps at last year and all the practice that goes with that. From his perspective, it’s a good thing.”

Wilkinson was penalized six times and allowed eight sacks last season, according to STATS LLC. Denver will need him to improve on those numbers for the offensive line to take a step forward in 2020.

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How does Ja’Wuan James opting out impact the Broncos’ salary cap?

How will Ja’Wuan James opting out impact the Broncos’ salary cap?

Before right tackle Ja’Wuan James opted out of the 2020 season, Spotrac.com estimated that the Broncos had about $16.3 million in salary cap space. Denver will get some cap relief from James’ contract this year but most of it will be tolled and added to the team’s 2021 cap hit.

James was supposed to have a base salary of $10 million this season and prorated signing bonus cap hit of $3 million (a total cap hit of $13 million). By opting out of 2020, James will simply be bumping this year’s salary and prorated bonus to 2021, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.

The Broncos will have $13 million added to their 2020 salary cap total but the team will have to account for that $13 million cap hit in 2021. If he is not deemed a “higher risk” opt-out, James will receive a $150,0000 advance toward his 2021 base salary. So his exact cap hit will be $12.85 million next season.

After adding that $13 million to the $16.3 million Denver already had, the Broncos have about $29.3 million in available salary cap space. Denver will probably want to roll over as much cap space as possible into 2021, though, so don’t expect the Broncos to go on a spending binge.

Here are nine free agent tackles Denver should consider signing.

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Twitter reacts to Broncos RT Ja’Wuan James opting out of season

Here’s how Twitter reacted when Broncos right tackle opted out of the 2020 season.

Broncos veteran Ja’Wuan James has decided to opt-out of the 2020 season, leaving Denver to determine a new starter at right tackle.

Here’s a sampling of how Twitter reacted to the news:

James will see his contract toll and will now be under contract for the 2021-2023 seasons. His four-year deal is worth a total of $51 million.

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Broncos RT Ja’Wuan James tweets statement after opting out of season

Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James explains his decision to opt-out of the 2020 season.

After opting out of the 2020 season, Denver Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James tweeted the following statement:

After continuous conversation with my family over the past 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 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. I’ve seen this virus already hospitalize one of my family members and hope to not have that happen again. We can’t live in fear or just confine ourselves just to ur homes but we all have to make the right conscious choices and navigate through day to day life to protect our neighbors. 

To my teammates I reached out to before making this decision, I appreciate your input and acknowledgment that the man comes first before the football player. All my brothers around the league, I pray for you and your families’ safety throughout the season and rest of this pandemic. To the Denver Community, these first two years weren’t what I expected them to be when arriving here. I know you don’t know we well and a false narrative was painted of me last year due to comments made about my injury, but I am invested in this city and my team. I look forward to the future we have here, but in that same breath, I’m even more invested in my family. Everyone make sure to stay positive through these crazy times and enjoy your loved ones. I hope 2021 will be a better year for all of us. Take care of yourselves, because ultimately, health is wealth. 

Denver is expected to have Elijah Wilkinson replace James at right tackle.

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Who will replace Ja’Wuan James on the Broncos’ offensive line?

Who will step up on the Broncos’ offensive line after Ja’Wuan James opted out of the 2020 season?

After Ja’Wuan James opted out of the 2020 season, the Denver Broncos will need a new plan at right tackle.

James, who missed most of last season while injured, was expected to serve as Denver’s starting right tackle this year. The most likely candidate to replace him is Elijah Wilkinson, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent out of Massachusetts in 2017.

Wilkinson served as a backup swing guard/tackle as a rookie and then was an injury fill-in starter for seven games in 2018. Last year, Wilkinson started in 12 games as a fill-in for James.

Wilkinson was originally expected to compete with Garett Bolles for the starting left tackle job this summer. Now that James is no longer part of the picture, Wilkinson will be the clear favorite to start at right tackle, which means Bolles will be expected to keep his starting job as well.

Wilkinson was penalized six times and allowed eight sacks last season, according to STATS LLC. He is currently on Denver’s physically unable to perform list but should be back on the practice field by mid-August.

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Four-star offensive tackle calls Texas his ‘dream school’

Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks recently chose to decommit from Oklahoma State, expresses serious interest in Texas.

Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks is one of the most highly sought-after prospects out of the 2022 recruiting class. Continue reading “Four-star offensive tackle calls Texas his ‘dream school’”