Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Charlie Jones is hoping for a fresh start in his third NFL season.
The 2017 Deerfield graduate has missed 15 games due to injuries and has totaled eight catches for 69 yards in two seasons.
“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career,” Jones said. “I think every time I go through something or have a surgery or a setback, it gets me more motivated.”
Training camp begins Wednesday, when the 6-foot, 190-pound Jones will resume working with a Bengals offense that features quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Jones is excited to show what he can do after a busy offseason.
“My mindset was to work hard and to have high expectations for myself,” he said. “This is the biggest and strongest I’ve been in a long time. I want to make Year 3 my year, my breakout year.”
Deerfield coach Brandon Geuder wouldn’t be surprised to see Jones make that happen.
“I’ve known Charlie dating back to when I was the offensive coordinator at Deerfield,” Geuder said. “I remember watching him play as a sophomore. You immediately knew he was going to be a special player.
“The big thing for me was his incredible body awareness, especially in the air. When his feet weren’t on the ground, he still had the ability to snag balls above everyone else, whether he was twisting his body or hands to make a catch. It was really special. On 50-50 balls, we always knew Charlie was going to come down with the ball.”
Jones has made the most significant impact in the return game for the Bengals. He had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns last season.
Geuder said Jones’ ability in the return game can separate Jones from other offensive players.
“He would see a seam, and he had the extra gear,” Geuder said. “Once he put his foot on the ground, he would make a quick little cut and be gone.”
Jones, who was an All-American second-team pick at Purdue in 2022 after stops at Buffalo and Iowa, made a splash at the 2023 NFL combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. The Bengals then selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
But Jones suffered a broken right thumb in the third game of his rookie season and was sidelined for six-plus weeks.
“I had the mentality last year that I was not satisfied with how my first year went,” he said. “I put in the work and was looking to make a name for myself. But it was another frustrating year. I was hoping to compete for a spot in the wide receiver room, and it didn’t go that way.”
Jones’ 100-yard kickoff return came in his next-to-last game on Oct. 20.
“I had a slow start, but finally things started going my way with the kick return in Cleveland,” he said. “I then had a groin issue and tried to come back and missed the rest of the season.”
Jones said he revamped his entire offseason regimen in order to push himself both mentally and physically ahead of this season. After sports hernia surgery, he stayed in Cincinnati to rehab, and then he went to Atlanta to work with a physical therapist, a trainer, and strength and speed coach.
“This offseason has been a crazy but interesting one,” Jones said. “I feel like I’ve really grown.”
No matter how much Jones has grown, he has maintained his connection to Deerfield, according to Geuder, who said Jones visits the Warriors on occasion.
“It means a lot to us,” Geuder said. “It’s so cool to collectively cheer for your hometown guy. Charlie has been almost 10 years away from Deerfield football, but the kids still talk about him, watch him and look for clips.”
Jones said his injuries have given him a different outlook.
“It gave me time to really sit back and think where I’m at in my life,” he said. “I’m doing something I’ve dreamed of all my life.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
