Speed is a piece to the New Orleans Saints offense that nobody can really debate. Chris Olave possesses legit downfield speed. Rashid Shaheed has a case as one of the fastest players in football. Alvin Kamara has consistently proven his breakaway speed.
Let's go back to Rashid Shaheed, though. Shaheed has been incredibly impressive so far during training camp. One of his newer teammates thinks he has an edge on Shaheed, though. Velus Jones Jr. believes that he is faster than the star returner and offensive weapon.
Jones has been a special teams piece so far in his pro career. He's spent time at running back and wide receiver. His production has been limited, though. Since being a third-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2022, Jones has totaled just 165 rushing yards and 135 receiving yards. He's been depth in multiple stops before New Orleans, including the Carolina Panthers.
That being said, the free agent addition doesn't lack confidence in his athleticism. He's confident that he is faster than Shaheed, but the latter made sure to make his disagreement public, too. Shaheed simply posted a quote tweet on Underhill's about Jones' comments.
Personally, I would have to side with Shaheed here. His ability to burn defensive backs has been what has kept him on the field for the Saints offense. Early last season, his ability to score a deep touchdown from quarterback Derek Carr created a nearly weekly occurrence. Not to mention, he's one of the most exciting returners in the NFL.
We'll see if we can get a race between Jones and Shaheed sometime during practice ahead of the preseason. Additionally, Jones will work to earn a roster spot during the rest of training camp and preseason games for the Saints. His versatility could be useful for New Orleans when it comes to depth.
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