Chicago Bears: Bold predictions for training camp 2023
Prediction no. 2: Velus Jones could find himself out of Chicago
Velus Jones was the most controversial pick that Poles made in his two drafts so far. He selected Jones in the third round of the 2022 draft. It was a shocker of a pick since many draft experts graded him as a fifth-round pick.
Jones took advantage of some of the rules, especially as a result of COVID, that allowed him to stay in college longer. He ended up playing six seasons in college.
The problem with that is that his route-running did not develop over the years. Despite all those years, he was basically a fly route runner or a short pass (screen pass for example), and have him use his speed.
Oh, yes, Jones has a ton of speed. Like Scott, he has blazing speed. The difference between the two is that Scott is able to take advantage of his speed with multiple routes. Jones still cannot do that. He basically is a “go long and outrun the defense” or “take it short, shed a tackle, and take off” type of receiver.
In 2022, Jones was unable to get involved in the offense. His lack of route-running hurt his ability to make plays. The Bears tried to use the jet sweep to get him involved more. In fact, he ended up with more rushes (9) than catches (7).
In college, Jones made an impact on special teams. He took advantage of the open space, finding the lanes and just speeding past everyone. The Bears tried to use him on both punt and kickoff returns.
As a kickoff returner, he ranked third in average yards per return (27.6 yards per return). Things did not work out so well as a punt returner, however. He averaged a mediocre 7 yards per punt return. What was really bad about his punt returning is that he had two muff punts that negated two possible Bears wins. The coaches had to take him off of punt returns as a result.
When training camp begins, Jones has to be better. He needs to show that he improved his route running so he could be an effective asset for the offense.
The Bears drastically improved the wide receiver unit. In addition to Scott, the Bears added D.J. Moore, one of the top receivers in the league. Jones’ failures could be taken when wins and losses did not matter. Now, with better talent, wins are important again. Jones has to be a player who helps win games.
The NFL changed the kickoff rules for this season. Returners can now call a fair catch and have the ball placed at the 25. Many feel that this will negate the effectiveness of having kickoff returners. If Jones doesn’t show he can take a step up and contribute to the offense, he could end up on the outside looking in and not make the roster.