No one loves an underdog story more than I do.
And I don’t think there is a bigger underdog in Bears camp than Velus Jones Jr., who has quite the opportunity ahead of him when training camp opens next month.
The Velus Jones Jr. experiment as a wide receiver hasn’t worked to this point. Through 26 games, Jones has more rushing attempts (17) than receptins (11). Pro Football Reference data has Jones down as having played just 259 offensive snaps over the last two years. Moreover, Jones has seen his snap share on offense go from 22 percent as a rookie in 2022 to 11 percent in 2023. It simply isn’t working out for VJJ as a WR. And while that is a bummer, it doesn’t mean that Jones can’t have a positive impact as a member of the Bears moving forward.
At a minimum, he has a fan in Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower (bold emphasis mine):
“A guy like that with the type of skill set, with the speed and power that he has, and he’s coming full speed ahead at you,” Hightower said (h/t PFT). It’s like a damn freight train running at you and he’s going to get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game, and we all know he’s a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands. But this new rule, because of the landing zone, because of the league incentivizing returns, it’s only going to have a really good effect for our whole return team but for a guy like that to really change the game.”
Between Hightower raving about Velus Jones Jr.’s running style and noting how the NFL’s new rules on returning kicks could provide an opportunity for the 2022 third-round pick to shine, I’m suddenly looking forward to seeing how things will shake out this summer.
New NFL rules and an open compeition could help Velus Jones Jr. snag a roster spot
Yes, I realize I was intrigued by Jones’ future at this time last year. But this year is different. Not just because the numbers on the year of the calendar have changed. But because the dynamic of the Chicago Bears roster has changed. Velus Jones Jr. can go into the 2024 season not having to worry about trying to be a quarterback’s best friend. Instead, because of the receiver talent the Bears have added, Jones can focus on sharpening his skills as a return specialist — which is what looks to be best for both him and the Bears going into this season.
Don’t get me wrong. The idea of Rome Odunze following in his football idol Devin Hester’s footsteps and returning punts is fun to think about. How often do you get to see a player live out a dream like that? But the reality is that using Odunze in punt return situations should be a “break glass in case of emergency” kind of thing. And because DeAndre Carter, Tyler Scott, and Dante Pettis aren’t going to run away with the competition, Velus Jones Jr. has a real chance of winning a gig. VJJ is the most talented of the return candidates not named Rome Odunze. He should take that to heart and use it as motivation.
It has been a rough two years for Velus Jones Jr. in Chicago. He spent time in Head Coach Matt Eberflus’ dog house as a rookie. Things weren’t any better for Jones as a second-year player. Not only did he muff his first punt return attempt of the preseason, he also had a bad case of the dropsies on Sunday Night Football. In the weeks that followed, Jones was a healthy scratch. But all of that can be a distant memory if VJJ takes the return gig and runs with it in 2024. Bonus points if those runs can be touchdowns.
written by
Luis C. Medina
Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.
