Velus Jones Jr. never gave himself a real chance with his first team, the Chicago Bears. The current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver was chosen in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft after having an explosive college career at USC and Tennessee. Still, round three might have been too high.
The risk the Bears were taking was that Jones would immediately turn into the kind of kick and punt returner who could alter games even without producing much offensively. Whether he was listed as a wide receiver or running back didn't matter; he was a returner and, hopefully, a great one.
He wasn't. Instead, in his first game, he muffed a punt. In his third one, he did the same. No matter how high a player is chosen, except for maybe the first round, a team will think of releasing a player they can't trust.
Velus Jones Jr. could make a huge impact for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13
Chicago gave Jones several chances, however. He stuck with the team through the next season, but in the first game of his third season, he bobbled a kickoff and accidentally kicked the ball toward the other team. It would be his final game with the Bears. Since 2024, Jones has bounced around the NFL a bit.
He was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad until the Carolina Panthers signed him to their active roster. To begin the 2025 season, Jones was part of the New Orleans Saints organization and returned eight kickoffs. The Saints released him, too, though.
Now, with running back George Holani on injured reserve, the Seattle Seahawks needed to pick up a player who could potentially return kicks. The team signed Jones to the practice squad on October 29, but then released him. He was re-signed to the practice squad on November 18 and has been elevated for Week 13.
Will Jones contribute much on offense? Likely not. He might not even get a snap, but he could have a definite impact on special teams. Holani was a decent kick returner, and Jones has always had the potential to be a great one. If he is in Week 13, he will give himself a chance to stick around the league a bit longer.
The Seahawks also elevated veteran safety Quandre Diggs. He is making his return to Seattle after being released after the 2023 season. He could see significant time with starter Julian Love still out with a hamstring injury and backup Ty Okada getting hurt in Week 12.