Bears vs Bills preseason Week 1: 5 players with the most at stake

4. Velus Jones Jr.

Depending on who you ask Velus Jones Jr. is a lock to make the roster or a lock to get cut. The Bears sat out Jones in week one of the preseason. Some fans will tell you it is because he is such a weapon in the kick return game that the Bears did not want to show it to a future opponent. Others will tell you that while he was sitting, guys like De’Andre Carter, Collin Johnson, and Tyler Scott were making the case to stick on the roster ahead of him. 

Carter returns punts, Johnson flashes and could play special teams, and Scott is only in year two. Do they have room for Jones?

First, if he returns kicks, he will have a role. Another factor that could save him is his transition to running back. At the very least he has gotten work there in practice. This could have come down to Jones beating Johnson for the last spot, or Jones beating Travis Homer for the last spot. 

If that happens, it has to start this week. Jones should return a kick at some point if he will be doing it in week one. He also should get some snaps at running back in game action if that is his path to the roster. If he struggles at both, there are options on the roster that make him expendable.