After an entire year of not playing football, Bruce Ellington was hungry to make plays.
"I had anger built up in me from being released," Ellington said Tuesday. "I never want to feel that way again. So I had to go out there and do what I had to do."
Ellington was cut earlier this month by the San Francisco 49ers, who drafted the wide receiver in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. The New York Jets signed and released him after one day. After Will Fuller V went down in training camp with injury, the Texans called on Ellington and he quickly made an impact.
"He's been a good addition for only having been here 10 days, two weeks, whatever it is," head coach Bill O'Brien said. "He's been a real good addition. He's got good quickness, he's a competitor. I think the big thing with Bruce is staying healthy, making sure he gets the treatment and he's able to stay healthy. If he's out there for us, he's going to make plays for us."
One week after being signed as a free agent, Ellington recorded four catches for a team-high 93 yards receiving in Houston's preseason win over the New England Patriots. O'Brien credited the new receiver's experience in Chip Kelly's fast-paced system for his ability to quickly grasp the offense.
For Ellington, it was also a lot of late nights in his Greenbrier hotel room studying his playbook and extra time after meetings drawing up plays. His South Carolina connections, he played college football alongside Jadeveon Clowney and AAU basketball with DeAndre Hopkins, have also made the transition a smooth one.
"It's been great," Ellington said. "I got a lot of guys that I've played with and played against, so they're helping me out to get accustomed to it. It's a great team. Everybody loves each other. Everybody's working hard. I'm just here to join the club."
Check out some of the best shots from Day 18 of training camp practice.
