Panthers Urged to Give Former Draft Bust a Chance Entering Season's Final Games

The Panthers are mostly focused on evaluating the roster in preparation for the offseason with just two games left, and one new suggestion sees the team giving a former third-round pick more opportunities in a savvy move.

Velus Jones Jr., a versatile offensive weapon who can play both wide receiver and running back, hasn't made a legitimate impact in the NFL though he still has the talent to become a weapon.

While he's on Carolina's roster, he hasn't been featured in any capacity. Since winning these final two games doesn't actually matter, there's no downside to giving Jones some touches to see what he can do with them.

Panthers Should Feature Velus Jones Jr. in Final Two Weeks

After being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Bears, Jones has struggled to make any kind of consistent impact at the professional level. Some of that can be pinned on Chicago's coaching staff, yet Jones still holds some responsibility as well.

He was a standout player at Tennessee in college with some chops in the return game too, but the Bears couldn't figure out how to utilize his diverse skillset. Bryce Young has been impressive since returning to the starting lineup and needs more weapons, so there's limited downside to see if Jones can earn a larger role in 2025.

"At this point, the club might as well get him on the field as much as possible to see what the former third-round pick can bring," Bleacher Report writes. "He might be able to reach his full potential with a creative offensive play-caller like Canales and become the next Cordarrelle Patterson."

Should he not produce and the Panthers lose Buccaneers and Falcons, it'll only improve their draft position. If Jones succeeds, Carolina would know they can use him as Dave Canales' staff continues to flesh out an offensive supporting cast to help Young develop.

Jones has just one catch for eight yards and two carries for 11 more on the campaign, appearing in only two games overall. In all likelihood, he won't become a productive player. That doesn't mean it isn't wise for the Panthers to give him a shot though, particularly given where we're at in the season.

Teams like Carolina need to find productive players wherever they can. That means allowing Jones to grow is a wise decision and a no-brainer entering Week 17.

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