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

On Friday afternoon, news came out of Halas Hall that WR/RB/PR Velus Jones Jr. was released and FB Khari Blasingame was released.

Velus Jones Jr. was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2022 draft. The hope was that his raw speed would give the Chicago Bears the dynamic pass-catcher they had sorely lacked in Justin Fields' rookie season. After a disappointing rookie season marked by muffed punts and dropped passes, Jones Jr. fell out of favor, traded for DJ Moore, signed Tyler Scott and added more experienced pass catchers.

This past offseason, Hard Knocks highlighted his move to RB as an opportunity for him to showcase his speed without showcasing his poor hands. However, after a few blunders in their season debut, Velus was a healthy scratch all season.

Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Khari Blasingame was originally signed prior to the 2022 season as the starting road grader for a backfield that included David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. He was a key player in 32 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Blasingame first appeared on the injured list following the loss to Houston in Week 2 and has struggled with injuries since. Doug Kramer's development into a pseudo-fullback in jumbo packages didn't help Khari's roster case while he nursed his injuries.

While the Bears released Blasingame in August only to sign him the very next day to do some roster gymnastics, this appears to be the end of Khari's tenure as a Bear.

Photo by Vince Mignot/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 further moves to bolster their roster.

Den master Ken is sorry because his favorite Den cover muse, Velus Jones Jr., is gone forever.