Velus Jones Jr. is a name NFL fans recognize not for Pro Bowl appearances or record-breaking stats, but for persistence in one of professional football’s most unforgiving environments. His journey from third-round draft pick to journeyman running back and return specialist reflects the reality most NFL players face—constant competition for roster spots, position changes, and the need to prove value every single week.
What makes his career noteworthy isn’t glamour or fame. It’s the demonstration of how speed, versatility, and willingness to adapt create opportunities in a league where most careers last fewer than three years. His path offers insight into what life looks like for the majority of NFL players who aren’t household names.
The Type of Player Coaches Had to Understand
Jones entered the NFL as a wide receiver with elite track speed—he ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine—but limited route-running experience and an unusual development timeline. Coaches viewed him primarily as a special teams weapon who could contribute on offense in specific situations.
His value came from what he could do in space rather than in contested situations. He was never going to win jump balls or run the complete route tree NFL number-one receivers master. Instead, teams hoped to use his speed on jet sweeps, screens, and kickoff returns.
In August 2024, the Chicago Bears announced they were converting him to running back, hoping his speed would translate better to a position where he could find more consistent touches. The experiment showed mixed results, highlighting the difficulty of position changes at the professional level.
Where His Football Story Began
Velus Tyler Phillip Jones Jr. was born on May 11, 1997, in Mobile, Alabama. He lived there until age eight, when his family moved to nearby Saraland, Alabama. His parents are Velus Jones Sr. and San’tae White, though public information about his family background remains limited.
He attended Saraland High School, where he played wide receiver and attracted significant recruiting attention. As a junior in 2014, he caught 51 passes for 1,118 yards and nine touchdowns, earning first-team All-State honors. His senior season production dropped slightly to 48 receptions for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he maintained elite-level recruiting status.
ESPN rated him a four-star prospect, and he received scholarship offers from major programs across the country. He ultimately chose USC, beginning his college career as a Trojan in 2016.
He has not spoken publicly about his religious beliefs or ethnic background in major interviews or verified media appearances, choosing to keep those aspects of his life private.
College Years That Shaped His Development
Jones redshirted his true freshman season at USC in 2016, using the year to develop physically without burning a year of eligibility. In 2017, he became the Trojans’ primary kick returner, gaining 760 yards on 31 returns while seeing limited action at wide receiver.
His production as a receiver remained modest throughout his USC career. As a redshirt sophomore in 2018, he caught 24 passes for 266 yards with one touchdown. The following season, he returned 29 kickoffs for 704 yards and one touchdown, earning second-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors as a return specialist.
After his redshirt junior season, Jones announced he was entering the transfer portal. He chose Tennessee, joining the Volunteers as a graduate transfer in 2021, which allowed him to play immediately without sitting out a year.
His lone season at Tennessee became his most productive as a receiver. He caught 62 passes for 807 yards and seven touchdowns while also leading the SEC with 398 kickoff return yards. His 1,722 all-purpose yards ranked third in the conference.
He decided to use the extra year of eligibility granted due to COVID-19 and returned for the 2021 season as a redshirt senior. This decision proved crucial—his Tennessee production elevated his draft stock significantly after four years of limited receiving numbers at USC.
Entering the NFL on a Different Timeline
The Chicago Bears selected Jones in the third round with the 71st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. At 25 years old on draft day, he was significantly older than typical third-round picks, a result of redshirting, transferring, and using his extra COVID year.
This age difference created unusual pressure. Most 25-year-olds in the NFL are entering their third or fourth seasons, not their rookie year. Teams typically expect immediate contribution from older rookies rather than allowing development time.
He signed a four-year rookie contract worth $5,405,928 on May 17, 2022, which included a $1,111,584 signing bonus. According to contract data from overthecap.com, the deal had an average annual value of $1,351,482.
Draft analysts were divided on his projection. Some viewed his elite speed and special teams value as worth a third-round investment. Others questioned his limited production as a receiver, narrow route tree, and advanced age for a developmental prospect.
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What Life Looks Like Inside an NFL Roster
Jones’s NFL career began with immediate adversity. A hamstring injury kept him out of the Bears’ first three games in 2022. When he finally debuted in Week 4 against the New York Giants, he played exclusively on special teams.
His first NFL appearance became memorable for the wrong reason. With the Bears trailing 20-12 late in the game, Jones muffed a punt on Chicago’s 34-yard line that the Giants recovered. Two weeks later in Week 6 against Washington, he muffed another punt that led directly to the Commanders’ only touchdown in a 12-7 Bears loss.
These mistakes created immediate doubts about his reliability, though he did score his first career touchdown on his first career reception in Week 5 against Minnesota. His 2022 rookie season ended with one receiving touchdown and continued special teams work, though the muffed punts defined much of the narrative.
The 2023 season saw him appear in 14 games with limited offensive production—eight carries for 51 yards and four receptions for 20 yards. His primary value came on kickoff returns, where he averaged 27.2 yards per return on 16 attempts.
In 2024, the Bears made the decision to transition him to running back, hoping the position change would unlock his speed in ways the receiver role hadn’t. General manager Ryan Poles even rejected a trade offer for Jones during the preseason, expressing confidence in the experiment.
The results were disappointing. He appeared in only three games for Chicago in 2024, recording three carries for 11 yards and one eight-yard reception. On October 26, 2024, the Bears waived him, ending his tenure in Chicago.
The Journeyman Phase
After his release from Chicago, Jones signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad on October 30, 2024. He was elevated to the active roster once but didn’t play a single snap despite being active for the game.
On December 10, 2024, the Carolina Panthers signed him to their active roster from Jacksonville’s practice squad. He appeared in two games for Carolina with limited impact—two rushes for 11 yards and one kickoff return for 19 yards.
On March 17, 2025, Jones signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints worth $315,000 with no guaranteed money, according to contract tracking sites. The Saints announced they planned to use him as a running back.
Most recently, as of January 2026, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster for Seattle’s divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, serving as the team’s number-three running back behind Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
This sequence—Bears to Jaguars to Panthers to Saints to Seahawks across two seasons—illustrates typical journeyman NFL life for players without established roster spots.
Life Away From the Field
Jones maintains a relatively private personal life, with limited information publicly available about relationships or family beyond his parents and his cousin, Cor’Dale Flott, who plays cornerback for the New York Giants.
He has been involved in charitable work, participating in the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, where he wore shoes bringing attention to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. His late grandmother, Linda Jones, who passed away in 2012, has been cited as a significant influence in his life.
During his time with the Carolina Panthers in 2024, he visited with over 700 children from Boys and Girls Club and YMCA organizations across the Carolinas for the Panthers’ “Joy to the Carolinas” Christmas charitable event.
Beyond these verified public appearances and statements, he keeps most aspects of his personal life away from media attention. There is no publicly confirmed information about romantic relationships or marital status.
Physical Profile and Athletic Identity
Jones stands 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. His build is lean and athletic rather than physically imposing, reflecting his background as a wide receiver and return specialist.
His most notable physical trait is his speed. His 4.31-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine ranked among the fastest for any position in his draft class. This elite track speed defined how teams viewed his potential throughout his career.
However, speed alone doesn’t guarantee NFL success. His relatively light frame and limited power make him vulnerable in situations requiring physical contact or blocking. The transition to running back attempted to maximize his speed while minimizing exposure to situations where his size became a disadvantage.
Contracts, Earnings, and Financial Reality
Jones’s NFL earnings come primarily from his initial four-year Bears contract and subsequent minimum-salary deals. His rookie contract totaled $5,405,928 over four years, though he never completed the full term after being waived in October 2024.
According to publicly available contract data, his 2024 base salary with the Bears was $1,196,448 before his release. After joining Carolina mid-season, he earned a prorated portion of the veteran minimum for the remainder of the season.
His one-year deal with New Orleans for 2025 was worth $315,000 with zero guaranteed money, reflecting his status as a roster bubble player rather than established contributor. These minimum contracts are standard for players competing for spots rather than holding them securely.
Net worth estimates for Jones vary significantly across sources, with figures ranging from $2 million to $5 million. These estimates account for his NFL earnings minus taxes, agent fees, and living expenses. As with all such figures, they represent approximations rather than confirmed disclosures.
The financial reality for players in Jones’s position differs drastically from star players. While he has earned over $2 million in career NFL salary according to tracking sites, that money must fund potentially decades of post-football life if his career ends soon.
Practice squad players earn significantly less than active roster players—approximately $12,000 per week during the 18-week regular season. Players elevated from practice squads for game day earn additional compensation for those specific weeks, creating income uncertainty week to week.
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