‘Hard Knocks’ star James makes most of return to team
That late-summer day when cornerback Charles James found out he hadn’t made it as a Texan was a sad one.
James believed he had done enough during the preseason to show coach Bill O’Brien, defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and special-teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky he deserved to stay and play in games that mattered. He was stunned and disappointed.
“My first reaction was l i ke, ‘damn!’ ” he said. “’Wow. What else could I have done?’ ”
But what did he do next? He reached out to one of his buddies on the team, Jumal Rolle, to let him know how much he had enjoyed getting to play beside him and how “I’d always be there for him.”
And, yes, it was James
who had just been released, not the other way around.
James put out enough good tape — and his “Hard Knocks” exposure didn’t hurt because he came across as such a positive, charismatic guy — to gain a spot on the Baltimore’s practice squad. Six weeks into the season, the Ravens moved him to the active roster before they were to face San Francisco.
“I was all psyched up,” James said. “I mean, man, I was pumped up.”
Game day never came, though. The Ravens reversed field and cut him.
But by the following Monday, the Texans had lost safety Lonnie Ballentine to a season-ending knee injury and James got a phone call from general manager Rick Smith.
James played against Miami — his first regul ar-season appearance since the final Sunday of the 2013 season — and, although the Texans were dreadful collectively that day, James made enough of an impression individually to not have to look over his shoulder the next day. He had shown good system recall. He was active on special teams.
It earned him another shot in the victory over Tennessee and an even bigger role, which i ncluded special defensive packages, fol lowed in Monday night’s upset of the previously undefeated Cincinnati Bengals. With Kareem Jackson ailing, rookie Kevin Johnson took over at cornerback and James, the odd man out in September, found himself playing 70 percent of the defensive snaps as the nickel cornerback in addition to covering kicks and punts.
‘It’s a wild business’
But when Brian Hoyer suffered a concussion, it became obvious the Texans would have to find a not her quar terback. They signed former Dallas Cowboy Brandon Weeden, which meant somebody would have to go to open a roster spot.
This time, it was Rolle who got released. What did James do? He reached out to him again, saying all the same things he’d said before.
“I told Jumal we’ve just got to keep pushing, both of us,” James said. “We’ve both been around the block, getting cut, changing teams. It’s a wild business.”
But it ’s a business that James is determined to succeed in.
“I will have a career in the National Football League,” he said. “I will play in the National Football League for as long as I want. I will leave because it ’s time for me to retire. I’ve been through this my whole life. I didn’t get a (college) scholarship because they said I was too small. Then I went undrafted and stuff like that. But you’ve just got to keep pushing, keep going. You can’t ever let anyone tell you what you can’t do.”
Texans coach Bil l O’Brien did tell him he was, at 5-9, too short to be a consistently effective NFL cornerback. He lacked “length.” O’Brien said this on national television, too, during a “Hard Knocks” episode. He didn’t sugarcoat it.
But James has forgiven O’Brien.
“People make mistakes and sometimes they come back and correct them,” James said. “I’ve got great respect for (O’Brien). I respect his honesty. He’s an honest guy. He’s up front. We talked about it and we crossed that bridge. I’m happy to be back and he’s happy I’m back. I didn’t burn any bridges or have any ill will when I left. Decisions get made. That’s life.
“I’m having a blast, man. Houston’s a good place. First off, I’m just happy to be back here with this group of guys. I missed them. That’s just me being honest. It ’s fun and we’re winning ballgames. Everything’s better when you’re winning.”
And playing. With Jackson out because of a lingering ankle injury, James figures to be on the NRG Stadium field as much Sunday against the New York Jets as he was against the Bengals.
“People make mistakes and sometimes they come back and correct them. I’ve got great respect for (Bill O’Brien). … I didn’t burn any bridges.” Charles James, Texans cornerback
Coach likes what he sees
On Friday, O’Brien defended the original decision to release James on the grounds that, at the time, he believed he was “doing what was best for the team.” He obviously thought Rolle had shown himself to be the better, if less charismatic, option. Colorful socks do not a shutdown NFL corner make. But circumstances change.
“Bringing Charles back was definitely a good decision,” O’Brien said. “This is a kid that shows up every day with a great enthusiasm. When he walks into the building, he’s ready to go. Usually on Thursday or Friday, I ask (the players) a bunch of questions (about the game plan). The questions he was asked he was right on them before I was even done asking.
“He loves the game. He tries to take advantage of every one of his opportunities. He plays through pain, plays when he’s banged up. It ’s great we were able to bring him back.”