With a new NFL season upon us, that means more opportunities for several players and teams to have a redemption story in 2025. No other team personifies this more than the Cincinnati Bengals and third-year wide receiver Charlie Jones. The oft-injured Jones has been stellar throughout training camp and the preseason, and he appears primed to have his best year yet, now that he’s fully healthy. Jones seems to have taken a jump at wide receiver, mostly from the slot, and he serves as the team’s primary kickoff and punt returner and holds career averages of 9.4 yards per punt return on 37 attempts, and 40.0 per KOR on five attempts, scoring on a TD on both punt and kick return. The Bengals would be thrilled if Jones has a fantastic season and serves as another potent option for the offense. Let’s examine closely.
Redemption Season is Calling for Charlie Jones and the Bengals
Triple Threat
Having a player who can line up at wide receiver and be a weapon every time they touch the ball on kickoff and punt returns is rare in the NFL. That’s exactly what Jones can do, and Cincinnati won’t be afraid to give him more opportunities to shine as a wideout.
When the ball is in his hands, Jones is very decisive and has excellent vision and burst that often lead to big yardage, setting the offense up in excellent field position to get to work.
CHARLIE JONES 100-YARD KICK OFF RETURN TO THE HOUSE
(via @Bengals) pic.twitter.com/p7saFgh0JQ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 20, 2024
In year three, Jones should be even better in all categories and is nightmare fuel for any team on the Bengals’ schedule.
Mr. Jones and Burrow
Joe Burrow is meticulous in his preparation and trusts that wide receivers will be in the right place and the right time. The confidence that Burrow shows in Jones is growing, and you get the sense that this will continue and get stronger as the regular season goes on.
Joe Burrow dime for a TD to Charlie Jones
Also check out the dominant jumpset from Amarius Mims here. pic.twitter.com/I3A4qMCqmg
— mike (@bengals_sans) August 19, 2025
Jones runs solid routes and also does well on contested catches, both of which are critical in an offense that Burrow controls. The last step for Chuck Sizzle is to stay healthy for a full season.
Healthy Options
The adage, the greatest ability is availability has been Jones’ biggest nemesis since he arrived in the league in 2023. In his rookie season, he suffered a labrum tear. His sophomore season also started rough after a non-contact knee injury in training camp, and he followed it with a thumb injury that would put him on IR after Week 3. The final nail in the coffin in 2024 was a sports hernia that would take two surgeries to repair and put him out for the remaining nine games.
Jones is uncharted health territory thus far, and he’s taken every advantage of it with a strong mindset that has helped him persevere, as he noted weeks ago, “My mindset has really been just staying healthy. That’s been my biggest knock since I got in the league. I’m feeling healthy and making sure that when I’m in there, I’m someone they can trust no matter where I’m at to make a play.”
Making plays kind of seems like his thing. The Bengals hope the plays get bigger, and Jones has the fortune of good health on his side after all of these years.
Main Photo: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
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