One of the bigger surprises in the Chicago Bears’ roster cuts was their decision to retain Velus Jones. In the eyes of many fans, the former third-round pick is a bust. He never lived up to his high draft status as a wide receiver. There was little point in keeping him over other potential options. However, the Bears ignored those recommendations and kept the third-year player for another season. When the final episode of Hard Knocks premiered on Tuesday, it became clearer what had happened.

It started in the meeting room, where Poles asked about the runners. Running backs coach Chad Morton, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower and head coach Matt Eberflus all expressed their strong support for Jones. They believe his new position as a running back and his growing versatility are too good to leave him off the roster.

The news about Velus Jones did not end there.

As the deadline for final cuts approached, another team apparently called Poles to try to snag a trade for Jones. It was also a generous offer – on paper, he thought it was “incredible.” However, given what Jones could offer the team, he wasn’t willing to pay less than a fourth-round pick in return.

That should tell you everything you need to know. Velus Jones made such a strong impression in training camp and the preseason that none of the coaches wanted to release him. Even an attempted trade couldn’t move the Bears. Fans may have their own opinions on the matter, but the organization believes Jones has something to offer that can’t be dismissed so easily. He’s too talented and too focused on hard work. They just needed to find a place for him. Maybe running back is his right home. We’ll find out the plans for him starting Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.