Breaking: Bears release Velus Jones Jr. and Khari Blasingame free

On Friday afternoon, news broke from Halas Hall that WR/RB/PR Velus Jones Jr. was lifted and that FB Khari Blasingame was released.

Velus Jones Jr. was originally drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft. The hope was that his raw speed would give the Chicago Bears the dynamic pass-catcher they sorely lacked in Justin Fields’ rookie campaign. After a disappointing rookie season marred by muffed punts and dropped passes, Jones Jr. out of favor. He traded for DJ Moore, drafted Tyler Scott and added additional veteran pass catchers.

Last season, Hard Knocks highlighted his move to RB as an opportunity for him to showcase his speed without showing off his bad hands. However, after fumbling in the season debut, Velus has been a healthy scratch all season.

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Khari Blasingame was originally signed ahead of the 2022 season as the primary road grader for a backfield featuring David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. He was a mainstay in 32 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Blasingame appeared on the injury report after the Week 2 loss to Houston and has struggled with injuries since. The development of Doug Kramer as a pseudo fullback in jumbo packages didn’t help Khari’s selection case while he nursed his injuries.

Although the Bears released Blasingame in August, only to sign him the next day in an attempt to do some gymnastics, it appears this could be the end of Khari’s tenure as a Bear.

Photo by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

It remains to be seen what the corresponding moves are for the Bears roster. With Larry Borom, Travis Homer and Jacob Martin set to return from injury, it’s possible these moves were made to make room for them. However, as the trade deadline approaches, don’t be shocked if the Bears make more moves to strengthen their roster.

Sorry to the Den Master, Ken, because his favorite Den cover muse, Velus Jones Jr., is gone for good.