Former Chicago Bears third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. has had a roller coaster career since leaving the Windy City last October. Jones spent some time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers, and actually saw some playing time with the latter last season.
However, the Panthers didn’t keep Jones around, as he ultimately signed with the New Orleans Saints. The odds were stacked against the ex-Bear to make the Saints’ 53-man roster, but he survived the final cuts and was on the team.
But five weeks into this season, the veteran playmaker will have to find a new gig, as the Saints waived him on Tuesday, per Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. With Jones hitting waivers, the other 31 NFL teams will have to claim and potentially sign him to their 53-man roster.
On the other hand, if Jones clears waivers, then he’ll be free to sign with a new team’s practice squad, which seems to be the most likely option.
Saints Cut Ties with Ex-Bear Velus Jones Jr. to Start Week 6
The 28-year-old Jones played in all five regular-season games in New Orleans, with most of his work coming on special teams. The former Bear averaged 22.9 yards per kick return, which isn’t overly spectacular.
Since being taken in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Jones has struggled to find his role in the NFL. When he was with the Bears, Jones’ primary role was a wide receiver, but they also used him in the running game.
However, that didn’t amount to much production as he had 281 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns across two games. The Bears also used Jones on special teams, where he made an impact.
But in what would be his final year with the Bears, the team tried him out at running back as his roster spot was on the line. Jones ended up making the team out of preseason, but only played in one game last season, thanks to a disastrous showing against Tennessee.
Jones had an ugly fumble in the regular-season opener, which sealed his fate in the Windy City. With his skill set, one does wonder what a coach like Ben Johnson would do with Jones, but we shouldn’t expect the Bears to bring him back.
It will be interesting to see if the tryout circuit will be friendly to Jones. Things haven’t worked out thus far, but with his versatility, he’s still a valuable option for a team’s practice squad.