The Seattle Seahawks released running back Velus Jones Jr. on Friday, clearing a roster spot as the team’s backfield regained health ahead of a home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
The move followed the returns of Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, who both saw action in the Seahawks’ Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears, giving Seattle more established options in the running game.
Jones, 29, had been dealing with a hamstring injury suffered in the team’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
He was ruled out for the Bears contest, missing the night when Charbonnet made his season debut and Price came off injured reserve.
In six appearances for Seattle this season, Jones carried the ball nine times for 28 yards and caught one pass for minus-1 yard, according to team records.
Four of those carries came at Denver, where he gained 20 yards; the remaining five against Kansas City produced just eight yards.
A former third-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Tennessee, Jones began his professional career primarily as a wide receiver and kick returner.
He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors at USC in 2019 and first-team All-SEC recognition at Tennessee in 2021 as a return specialist.
After stints with the Bears, Jacksonville, Carolina, and New Orleans, he transitioned to running back duties with the Saints and later the Seahawks.
Seattle had already shuffled him between the active roster and practice squad multiple times this season, including earlier releases and re-signings in October to accommodate other roster needs.
Hours after Friday’s release, the Seahawks signed Jones back to their practice squad, where he will remain available as depth if injuries strike the running back room again.
The team indicated the transaction opens a spot on the 53-man roster for a new addition ahead of Sunday’s game, though no corresponding signing had been announced at the time of the release.
Seattle enters the contest against Arizona with several key players ruled out, including quarterback Sam Darnold (quad), wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee), and others, making roster flexibility a priority.
Jones’s limited production and recent injury made him a logical candidate for the cut as healthier backs returned, yet his re-signing to the practice squad preserves the option for elevation if needed.
The sequence reflects the fluid nature of NFL roster management, where players can move quickly between the active roster and practice squad without clearing waivers when they qualify as vested veterans.
For the Seahawks, the priority remains maximizing depth at a position that has dealt with absences throughout the year.
