Charles James is gone. And Antrel Rolle is not happy about it.
The Giants on Tuesday trimmed 15 players off their roster to go from 90 players to 75, and the mild surprise was the departure of James, a 23-year-old cornerback who played in 12 games last season and was one of the most spirited and popular members of the defensive backfield.
James did not distinguish himself as a cornerback in the preseason games, but he was a solid special teams contributor and sending him packing was met with some negative reaction among his peers.
Safety Antrel Rolle, the defensive team captain, took to Instagram to express his disappointment, posting a photo of James, whom he called “my little [brother], protégé, energy booster.’’
Rolle wrote in the caption: “In this league you witness many things. Something you agree with and some you don’t but no matter what you have to keep fighting and keep driving to be the player you can be and the best teammate you can be. BUT THIS ONE HURTS! Charles James has the heart of a lion and is exactly what any organization should have on their team.’’
Rolle went onto state that James had eight interceptions in the spring OTAs and training camp.
“I think speaks for itself,” Rolle wrote. “The best training camp amongst cornerbacks in my eyes but today he was released.’’
Coach Tom Coughlin intimated the final evaluation was James simply did not do enough.
“Charles obviously was a guy that did a good job this fall in the gunner position, but needed some improvement in some other areas that we thought were going to be a little more productive,’’ Coughlin said.
James took to social media — ever-confident, his Twitter name is ShutDownCB1 — to thank the Giants for the opportunity to start his NFL career but admitted he was shocked to be waived.
“But I guess that’s how the business goes,’’ James wrote in an Instagram caption. He also said he’ll miss especially Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Victor Cruz and Prince Amukamara but, “The one person I’ll miss the most is my big brother Antrel.’’
Veteran Josh Brown retained the placekicker job as the Giants announced Tuesday morning that rookie Brandon McManus was one of the players waived on cut-down day.
Brown was impressed with McManus and said he would have a job in the NFL “within 48 hours.’’ It was much quicker than that, as the Broncos, before the waiver became official at 4 p.m., traded for McManus, sending the Giants a conditional seventh-round draft pick. McManus would have been claimed off waivers before the Broncos got a shot at him. They need a new kicker because Matt Prater is suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance policy.
As for the other transactions to trim the roster from 90 to 75, two players, safety Cooper Taylor (foot) and WR Marcus Harris (hip), were placed on season-ending injured reserve. Two players were waived/injured: LB Justin Anderson (hamstring) and DE Emmanuel Dieke (knee).
The 10 players waived were: James, CB Ross Weaver, S C.J. Barnett, S Kyle Sebetic, LB Spencer Adkins, WR Travis Harvey, TE Xavier Grimble, TE Jerome Cunningham, G John Sullen and DT Everett Dawkins.
Guards Brandon Mosley and James Brewer, both sidelined with back issues, sat out practice again. Weston Richburg and John Jerry will be the starting guards Thursday night against the Patriots.