Velus Jones Jr. has less than a week to prove to Matt Eberflus’ staff that he belongs on the Chicago Bears 53-man roster this season. An insider recently projected who will win the punt return job for Week 1, and it doesn’t bode well for Jones.
Velus Jones Jr. has been given plenty of chances
The Bears’ third-round pick in 2022 has shown speed in his first two seasons in the league. However, Jones has muffed the ball several times as a special teams returner and dropped critical passes on the offense.
The Bears have given Jones ample opportunities to make the team this summer. They moved him to running back in training camp. However, Jones is facing an uphill battle to make the team by the time Eberflus must trim his roster on Aug. 27.
DeAndre Carter is projected to make the 53-man roster
This week, Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune wrote that Jones is on the bubble this week. While he didn’t count Jones out, Biggs suggested veteran receiver DeAndre Carter will be the Bears punt returner in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans:
The good news is DeAndre Carter was back at practice on Monday after missing a week in between the games against Buffalo and Cincinnati. He’s the most experienced option on the roster (averaging 9.8 yards per punt return in his career) and I think he was signed in the spring with an eye toward his ability as a return specialist.
If it’s not Carter, Dante Pettis has sure hands but doesn’t offer a ton of juice. Josh Blackwell has gotten action in the role lately. He had 25 punt returns during his college career at Duke. The Bears could always scan the landscape following cuts but I’m not sure there is a plus returner who will be cut loose by anyone. My best guess right now is Carter is the Week 1 punt returner.
Can the Chicago Bears keep Jones as a scatback?
Nov 29, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (12) looks on during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
If the Bears keep Carter, it’s unlikely they will keep Jones on the 53-man roster. The Bears will keep receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Tyler Scott on this roster. Carter would be the Bear’s fifth wide receiver. Josh Schrock with NBC Sports projects the Bears to keep Dante Pettis, who has been more reliable when on the field than Jones.
Schrock has Jones on the roster as a scatback on a roster with only five receivers. While that’s possible, the Bears might decide to cut their losses and release Jones. There’s a good chance they can re-sign him on the practice squad at some point this season.
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