5 free-agent offensive tackles the Vikings could sign in 2019
By Chris Schad
Ja’Wuan James
2018 Stats:
- 70.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (32nd among qualified tackles)
- 67.3 pass blocking grade
- 69.1 run blocking grade
- 26 QB Pressures allowed
Things didn’t get off to the best start for Ja’Wuan James’ career when it appeared that the Miami Dolphins had reached for him in the first round of the 2014 draft. Accentuated by 58 pressures as a rookie, the right tackle began to turn things around with a career-high overall grade of 75.9 in 2016.
Despite playing the second-most snaps of his career in 2018, he put together a strong season allowing the fewest amount of quarterback pressures in his career.
As a 27-year-old free-agent, James likely has some upside left in him and he would make for a good target if the Vikings want to move Brian O’Neill to left tackle.
As an added bonus, James’ athleticism, which saw his agility score test in the 89th percentile of the 2014 class over at Player Profiler, would be a great fit for the zone blocking scheme that Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and offensive advisor Gary Kubiak want to run.
The problem here would be the cost as James is expected to be seeking a deal in the $9 million per year neighborhood. That price tag would be tough for the Vikings to swallow. But if Minnesota deems James as a great fit for their system, they might try to find a way to get a deal done.