Dolphins shopping starting tackle Ja’Wuan James

According to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, the Dolphins may not be done wheeling and dealing just yet. Days after the team sent star wide receiver Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns, rumors have surfaced that have several teams are very interested in acquiring starting right tackle Ja’Wuan James from Miami.

Since the beginning of the offseason, James’ status with the Dolphins has been in doubt. This season, the former first-round pick is set to cost about $9.3 million against the cap, a price set by the fifth-year option the front office picked up last offseason. However, the team could rid themselves of James’ cap hit if they choose to release him before the new league year begins on Wednesday. Miami could also choose to trade James. Either option would leave the team with zero dead money and would provide the front office with much needed wiggle room to spend during free agency.

The fact that the Dolphins are considering releasing James may make it more complicated to trade him. However, unlike the situation the team was in with Jarvis Landry, Miami is capable of holding on to James’ and his cap hit, meaning other teams have more incentive to trade for him as the Dolphins hold a bit more leverage than they did with Landry. Other teams may also wish to trade for James to ensure they don’t have to openly bid for his services should Miami release him, a development that could lead to the inflation of his price.

With a dearth of quality offensive linemen set to hit the open market when free agency begins on Wednesday, James could end up providing the Dolphins with a fairly decent trade market. Several teams already have serious interest, with the Denver Broncos at the top of the list. With the new league year rapidly approaching, expect to hear more on James quite soon.