Giants add Charlie Jones to practice squad after Bengals punt-return role

The New York Giants have signed wide receiver and return specialist Charlie Jones to their practice squad, according to Yahoo Sports. The transaction gives Jones another opportunity in a new organization under head coach John Harbaugh, with a clear path to contribute if his role in special teams earns a promotion to the active roster.

Jones entered the NFL when the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Since that draft selection, Yahoo Sports reports that he has served as Cincinnati’s primary punt returner, a specific responsibility that often carries outsized value because it can change field position on a single play.

In practice, the Giants’ decision indicates that they are willing to keep working the margins on special teams. Punt return jobs tend to be won over time through consistency, route understanding, and decision-making in traffic. Bringing in a player with defined experience in that exact lane suggests New York is prioritizing return competence as roster construction moves forward.

From the Giants’ perspective, a practice-squad contract is not simply a developmental label. It is also a roster management tool that allows a team to evaluate a player against its system, including return schemes and how coordinators want coverage units to react. It can also provide insurance if return responsibilities shift because of performance or tactical matchups.

For Jones, the move changes his immediate environment but not the core of what he is known for. Yahoo’s reporting ties his identity in the league to punt return work, which matters because the NFL’s best returners tend to be the ones who can handle live-ball speed and sustain job security through repeatable fundamentals rather than occasional highlights.

It also adds an extra layer to the typical offseason-to-regular-season period when teams reassess depth at skill positions. Even without claiming any specific season impact beyond the signing itself, the Giants’ choice indicates they expect Jones to offer something they can build on, whether that is return capability, special-teams reliability, or a longer-term fit if he earns additional playing opportunities.

What to watch next is whether Jones stays in a practice-squad role or receives a chance to participate on game days in special-teams packages. If he translates his punt-return experience into the Giants’ scheme, the signing could quickly become more than depth, turning into a factor in how New York handles punt return field position. At this stage, though, the public information centers on the practice-squad addition rather than a confirmed role beyond that move.