Tag: Velus Jones Jr.

Jaguars sign OL to active roster, WR to practice squad

Jaguars sign OL to active roster, WR to practice squad

This story has been updated to correct an error. 

The Jaguars made a few roster moves outside of trading offensive tackle Cam Robinson to the Vikings on Tuesday.

Jacksonville signed offensive lineman Blake Hance to its active roster off its practice squad, signed free agent wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. to the practice squad and released running back Jake Funk from the practice squad, the team announced.

Jacksonville claimed Hance off waivers during the 2022 season and kept him on the active roster through the 2023 campaign. The hybrid tackle/guard was released this preseason and signed to the Jaguars’ practice squad in late August.

Hance has appeared in 26 games with the Jaguars, including one start last season against Baltimore in Week 16. He has played in 50 regular season games in his career, making nine starts, the other eight with the Cleveland Browns.

Jones joins the Jaguars’ practice squad after beginning his career with Chicago, which selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. He caught 12 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown, rushed 19 times for 165 yards and one touchdown and returned 39 kickoffs for 26.7 yards on average over 27 appearances with the Bears.

Funk signed with Jacksonville’s practice squad on Oct. 1 and was elevated to the Jaguars’ active roster for Week 7 against the New England Patriots and Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He did not take the field in either contest.

Bears believe Velus Jones Jr. will benefit from new kickoff rules

Bears STC Richard Hightower believes Velus Jones Jr. will be a huge beneficiary of the new kickoff rule.

The NFL implemented a new kickoff rule that will go into effect during the 2024 season, and it might just help Chicago Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. secure a roster spot given the important of kickoff returns.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower believes Jones will be a huge beneficiary of the new kickoff rule, where he can be a valuable asset for Chicago’s offense.

“You can only think about a guy like Velus Jones,” Hightower said, via NBC Sports Chicago. “A guy like that with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has, and he’s coming full speed ahead at you, it’s like a damn freight train running at you.”

With the new kickoff rule, kickers will need to place the ball within a “landing zone” from the 20-yard line to the end zone. Any kick that lands in that zone must be returned. The rules for touchbacks, which will come out to the 30-yard line: If a ball lands in the zone and rolls into the endzone, kicks that land in the end zone. If the ball lands short of the “landing zone,” it’ll be blown dead nad the ball moved to the 40-yard line.

Hightower believes the kickoff rule change will not only benefit Jones but the entire team given Jones is a threat with the ball in his hands.

“He’s gonna get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game,” Hightower said. “We all know he’s a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands. But this new rule, because of the landing zone, because of the league incentivizing returns, it’s only going to have a really good effect for not only our whole return team but for a guy like that to really change the game.”

A look back at Tennessee’s victory against Kentucky in 2021

A look back at Tennessee’s victory against Kentucky in 2021.

Tennessee first fielded a football team in 1891 and the Vols have played in memorable games throughout its history.

Each week, Vols Wire will recap a memorable game against its upcoming opponent.

Vols Wire revisits Tennessee’s, 45-42, victory against Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Nov. 6, 2021.

The Vols, under first-year head coach Josh Heupel, led, 24-21, at halftime.

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker completed 15-of-20 passing attempts for 316 yards and four touchdowns.

Velus Jones Jr., Cedric Tillman, JaVonta Payton and Jacob Warren scored receiving touchdowns for the Vols.

Jabari Small led Tennessee in rushing yards (55). He scored one rushing touchdown.

Jones Jr. led the Vols in receiving yards (100).

Alontae Taylor returned an interception for a 56-yard touchdown.

AP Photo/Michael Clubb 

Bears sign former Bengals PR Trent Taylor

The Chicago Bears have a new punt returner.

The Chicago Bears have a new punt returner. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bears are signing former Cincinnati Bengals return specialist and wide receiver Trent Taylor to their active roster. The Bengals released Taylor on Tuesday after he spent the 2022 season as their primary punt returner.

Taylor was drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and was their primary punt returner his rookie year. He also contributed at wide receiver, catching 43 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns.

As his career went on, Taylor became more of a dedicated specialist, primarily contributing on punt returns. He joined the Bengals in 2021 and, in 2022, was their primary punt returner. Taylor averaged 10.3 yards per return, the sixth-most in the NFL last year.

Now, Taylor comes to the Bears to give them a boost in that department. Chicago lost veteran Dante Pettis to injured reserve last week and didn’t have a stable punt returner. Now they do with Taylor, who will likely take the spot of someone like Velus Jones Jr. or Equanimeous St. Brown on the roster.

7 best Bears players who aren’t going to make the 53-man roster

With final roster cuts upon us, here are the best players who probably won’t make the Bears’ initial 53-man roster.

Preseason is in the rearview mirror, and the NFL regular season is less than two weeks away. The small amount of time between is a period of speculation, predictions, and building anticipation for a long 17-game year.

Before we reach that point however, every NFL roster has to be trimmed down to 53 players before the season starts. That means the Chicago Bears have many hard decisions to make in the next 24 hours, as Tuesday is the deadline for roster cuts.

Both the young, talented, but unproven, players and the hardened veterans of the team are not invulnerable to cut day, and players across the spectrum will be bidding Chicago farewell.

With that being said, let’s discuss the seven best Bears players who will be cut on Tuesday.

Note: This list includes players who have already been released.

Bears WR Velus Jones Jr. reflects on muffed punt vs. Titans

Bears WR Velus Jones discussed his muffed punt against the Titans: “I’ve just gotta make a smarter play.”

Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. is among the notable players on the roster bubble this summer, and he didn’t help his chances during Saturday’s preseason opener against the Titans.

Jones muffed his first punt return of the preseason at the start of the second quarter, which gave Tennessee the ball on Chicago’s 25-yard line. Luckily, Bears safety A.J. Thomas came away with an interception in the end zone to keep it from being costly.

Muffed punts continue to be a problem for Jones. After muffing a punt in his first preseason action last year, it was an issue that lingered into the regular season, which eventually forced him off punt returns for the duration of the season.

While Jones has been clean fielding punts during training camp, he didn’t make a good first impression in his first live action of the summer. Jones admitted he has to “make a stronger play.”

‘‘It’s all about awareness, being smart,’’ Jones said, via the Sun-Times. ‘‘All week, all camp, I’ve been doing a good job catching them, feeling them out, even when we practice in the stadium. I’ve just gotta make a smarter play, even though I’ve got that competitive edge in me and stuff like that. Really proving it to myself and not everybody else.’’

It’s something that could spell the end of his tenure with the Bears — in a crowded receiver room — although Jones doesn’t “care about any outside noise” and believes the Bears’ brass “know what I’m capable of” on the field.

‘‘I showed glimpses last year and stuff, not getting too much playing time,’’ Jones said. ‘‘Getting in enough and getting my feet wet just a little bit. I know what I’m capable of, and I’m definitely a unique player on this team.’’

Jones has two more preseason games to prove he can be an overall valuable asset on this team, which includes being a reliable contributor on special teams.

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Velus Jones Jr. makes 2023 preseason debut with Bears

Former Vol Velus Jones Jr. makes 2023 preseason debut with Chicago.

Chicago defeated Tennessee, 23-19, in a NFL preseason game Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Former Vol wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. recorded one reception and six receiving yards for Chicago.

Jones Jr. played at Tennessee from 2020-21 after transferring from USC. He earned 2021 First-Team All-SEC and Co-Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

Jones Jr. was selected in the third-round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Bears (No. 71 overall).

He recorded seven receptions, 107 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown, 103 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 607 kickoff return yards and 35 punt return yards as a rookie in 2021 with Chicago.

PHOTOS: Velus Jones Jr. at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine

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Bears WR Velus Jones more comfortable in second season

Velus Jones has been making the most of his opportunities so far in Bears training camp.

Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. could find himself on the roster bubble this summer, where he’ll be looking to prove himself in what’s become a loaded receivers room.

Chicago will likely carry six wideouts on the roster, and those first four spots feel like locks for DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and rookie Tyler Scott, which leaves two spots up for grabs between Jones, Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis.

Jones’ best bet at locking down a roster spot is proving himself on special teams, and it’s something that’s stood out to coach Matt Eberflus, as well as a greater comfortability in his second season.

“First thing that stands out to me is returns,” Eberflus said Wednesday. “The punt returns, the kick returns, he’s really been consistent with that. He’s really worked his tail off with that. Then, the ability to utilize him as a guy back there with jet sweeps, the gadget plays, and also just being a receiver.

“I think he’s got the comfort level now, second-year through.”

Jones has made the most of his opportunities so far in camp, and he turned in a solid practice on Thursday with contributions on offense and special teams. Jones made some nice catches, including a deep touchdown from P.J. Walker during 1-on-1 drills. He also saw looks at kickoff and punt returner on special teams, which could help him earn one of those final roster spots.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has also noticed Jones is feeling more comfortable, where he’s showing a greater understanding in Year 2.

“You can see it when he breaks the huddle,” Getsy said Thursday. “Last year it was like, ‘Am I even going left or right the correct way?’ [Now] he’s breaking the huddle, he’s lining up. He’s getting in his spot and he’s doing his assignments at a much higher rate. All that stuff, you can see it in his game.”

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5 biggest storylines as Bears training camp begins

Training camp is underway for the Bears and there are several key storylines to follow as camp goes on.

The Chicago Bears kicked off training camp at Halas Hall this week, which means football Sundays are just around the corner.

The regular season peaking just over the horizon is bringing fans back into the Bears fold to learn all about the 2023 rendition of the team: how the rookies are faring, how well the offense is performing, etc.

With questions and anticipation swirling in the still very warm Chicago air, let’s take a step back and examine the biggest storylines heading into Bears training camp.

5 takeaways from new episode of Bears’ docuseries ‘1920 Football Drive’

A new episode of the Bears’ 1920 Football Drive has just been released, and there were five big takeaways.

Who needs HBO’s “Hard Knocks” anyway?

The newest entry in the Chicago Bears YouTube documentary series, 1920 Football Drive, was just released. The episode, titled “Newest Bears get to work,” centers around the players the Bears have recently acquired and how they are adjusting to life in Chicago.

Several interesting moments occurred over the episode’s 16-minute runtime, so let’s discuss the top five takeaways from the newest episode of 1920 Football Drive.