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James, who returned to the Bucs early last week, is healthy and ready to help the team's decimated backfield, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
James, who'd amassed 370 yards of total offense for the Bucs from 2013-14, was ready to open the regular season as the team's third back behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims before suffering a lower-body injury that James still just vaguely describes as a "tweak" to his leg. He was consequently waived/injured and eventually latched on to the Lions' practice squad after recovering. However, once the mandatory waiting period for a player to re-sign with a team following an injury settlement had passed, the desperate Bucs came calling Nov. 1. His conditioning was sufficient to allow him to play 20 snaps on offense and 17 on special teams in Thursday's 43-28 loss to the Falcons, and his role could certainly expand in Week 10 if neither Doug Martin (hamstring) nor Jacquizz Rodgers (foot) can return to action. If so, the fourth-year veteran feels ready for the call. "You can't really simulate practice and games -- it's really hard to," James said. "But I think I was in good enough shape to play the other night. I think I played fairly well when it came down to my conditioning, so I was okay with that."
