Heading into the offseason, one of the main goals was to get solid backups for running back Alvin Kamara, who's entering his ninth year in the NFL. Velus Jones Jr., listed at fifth on the New Orleans Saints depth chart, is right on the cusp of making the 53-man roster.
Drafted in the third round by the Chicago Bears back in 2022, Jones Jr.'s career has not had the best start. Struggling to gain momentum as a wide receiver, the coaching staff would switch him to running back. However, that didn't work either, as he only played well enough to be nicknamed "diet Cordarrelle Patterson." He was released by the bears midway through the 2024 season.
Jones Jr. signed with the Saints back in March as a running back, but they're not expected to carry more than four running backs on the active roster. The three players listed above Jones Jr. are on their own upward trajectory, making his chances there difficult. However, he might be able to make the active roster from another angle. Jones Jr., who began his NFL career as a wide receiver, has the potential to steal a roster spot from a Saints wide receiver.
How Velus Jones Jr. can make the final roster
While the running game struggled to get going in the loss against the Chargers (New Orleans only had 61 rushing yards the entire game), Kellen Moore, still felt Jones Jr. managed to make some impact plays.
"The completions where you just find him out in space and he's able to make plays, that's the beauty of what Velus presents." Moore said postgame. "He did an excellent job there (the passing game), he did an excellent job in the return game, and he certainly showed well today." Jones Jr. showed up in a few roles, but the return game is where the versatile veteran truly made his mark.
At the end of the first week of the preseason, Jones Jr. would have 16 receiving yards on four receptions while also having 73 kick return yards on two attempts, earning him a grade of 69.1 on Pro Football Focus. This continued his habit of quietly making plays throughout the offseason.
If I were Dante Pettis, I would be sweating bullets right about now, because Velus Jones Jr. stood out in the ways that Pettis should have. Special teams has always been a route for teams to keep an extra player in a position room. If Jones Jr. shows value in the return game, you'll see New Orleans keep an extra running back instead of an extra receiver