One of the bigger surprises of the Chicago Bears roster cuts was their decision to keep Velus Jones. In the minds of many fans, the former 3rd round pick is a bust. He never lived up to his high draft status as a wide receiver. There was little point in keeping him above other potential options. However, the Bears ignored those recommendations, keeping the third-year player for another season. When the final episode of Hard Knocks premiered on Tuesday, it shed further light on what went down.
It started in the meeting room where Poles asked about the runners. Running backs coach Chad Morton, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, and head coach Matt Eberflus all expressed vehement support for Jones. They feel his newfound home at running back and expanding versatility are too good to leave off the roster.
Apparently, as the deadline for final cuts approached, another team called Poles about trading for Jones. It was a generous offer, too—one he deemed “unbelievable” value on paper. However, given what Jones could offer the team, he wasn’t willing to go below a 4th round pick in return.
That should tell you everything you need to know. Velus Jones made such a strong impression in training camp and the preseason that none of the coaches wanted to cut him. Even an attempted trade failed to move the Bears. Fans may have their opinions on the subject. Yet the organization feels Jones has something to offer that can’t be so easily discarded. He’s too talented and too dedicated to the grind. All they had to do was find a spot for him. Maybe running back is his proper home. We’ll find out the plans for him starting Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
