Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Charlie Jones sounds ready for the opportunity to win a roster spot primarily due to his ability on special teams.
Jones, the super-athletic and productive wideout from Purdue who was named the biggest steal of the draft, was quietly the Big Ten’s Special Teams Player of the Year while at Iowa in 2021.
But he told reporters at rookie minicamp that the goal is to learn from the elites around him like Ja’Marr Chase.
“(Chase) is the best at what he does,” Jones said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I can’t wait to see how he operates on a daily basis and see what advice he has and just try to learn as much as possible.”
Still, it’s impossible not to think about Jones winning at least the punt-returning gig. And he told Hobson that’s what he prefers because of the challenge it presents: “There’s something about being back there by yourself. It’s a unique atmosphere.”
It’s not hard to see why some might consider Jones the favorite to be the punt returner next year already:
"He's shifty. He's nifty."
We are all ears for @HawkeyeFootball legend Tim Dwight breaking down Charlie Jones' return game. pic.twitter.com/JbJslGNABg
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) December 4, 2021
