Ja'Wuan James enjoying daily battles with Cameron Wake

Written by Luis Sung
Rookie Right Tackle Ja'Wuan James is getting beat daily by Pro Bowl Defensive End Cameron Wake. And strangely enough, it's nothing he didn't ask for.

“I asked him to show me what he’s got,” James said. “I asked him to give me his best shot because that’s what I need to become a better player.”

And not one to refuse a challenge, Cameron Wake hasn't hesitated to go all out against the first round draft pick out of Tennessee.

“I’m holding nothing back,” he says. “The gloves are off. I’m working him hard.”

Naturally going up against a player of Wake's caliber is going to make the young rookie look bad, but Wake knows that with him pushing James to be better, it's going to help in the long run.

“I owe it to my team to do everything I can to get him ready,” Wake said of James. “He’s going to be one of the anchors of our offensive line for a long time. He’s got a lot of talent. I’m just trying every day to bring that talent out of him."

While some fans might be worried by the daily training camp reports explaining how James is struggling to hold back Wake's speed and strength, it is important to keep in mind that Wake is an elite pass-rushing talent, and James's struggles are nothing more than growing pains which are going to make James much stronger in the long run, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

“I love it,” James said. “I need it. I want it. To go up in practice each day against such a great player, it’s got to help me, it’s got to make me ready for what’s ahead. Going up against him, it feels like a real game.”

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