Latest Chicago Bears waiver claim is bad news for Velus Jones

It would seem that 2022 third-round draft pick Velus Jones Jr. is not long for the Chicago Bears roster.

There had been questions throughout Pre-Season over whether or not Jones would make the Bears’ roster and his struggles on punt returns in the team’s first Pre-Season game against the Tennessee Titans earlier this month suggested that the second-year wide receiver has not progressed from the inconsistencies that were on display during his rookie campaign.

Despite the odds not being in Jones’ favor, veteran wide receiver Dante Pettis was placed on injured reserve over the weekend and that seemed to confirm the notion that Jones was going to make the Bears’ 53-man roster as the team’s primary punt returner.

Jones was indeed on the initial 53-man roster that the Bears set on Tuesday afternoon but as is the case with players in his position, the roster is always fluid, especially the morning of the first waiver wire day after the Pre-Season cuts have been made.

With that in mind, the Bears seemingly have claimed Jones’ replacement on Punt Returns by adding former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Trent Taylor to their active roster.

Velus Jones Jr. may soon be out of a job with the Chicago Bears.

Taylor averaged 10.3 yards per punt return last season and was a surprise cut by the Bengals given the success that he had on special teams last season.

With the addition of Taylor, the Bears now have a crowded wide receiver room and it would seem that either Jones or veteran wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown will be the odd man out as the corresponding move.

While St. Brown is not a focal point of a Bears’ offense that now includes D.J. Moore as the primary wide receiver followed by Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, the former Packers’ wide receiver was undoubtedly the best-blocking receiver on the team last season. That could be the reason why he has the edge over Jones in terms of remaining on the 53-man roster.