When the Chicago Bears drafted Velus Jones in 2022, they knew two things. They immediately had one of the more gifted kick return specialists in the league, and it appeared they also had a wide receiver who was just starting to blossom. The first part was true. Jones was terrific returning the ball as a rookie. Unfortunately, it became clear almost immediately that his receiving prowess wasn’t where the team hoped it’d be. His route-running was average, and worse still, he didn’t have reliable hands. Too many catchable balls thrown his way were hitting the turf.
Many felt like he was a lost cause. However, others saw a different path for him. One that would see a switch to a different position. Finally, after two years of hemming and hawing, the Bears appear to have embraced it.
It’s not like the team is shooting blind. Jones has 17 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown in the NFL. His size, strength, and speed make for a good combination at that position. Teams finally started doing the same thing with Cordarrelle Patterson after six seasons of failing to make it work at receiver. It resurrected his career. He had 297 carries between 2021 and 2022, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt and scoring 14 touchdowns. His coaches were smart enough to realize that getting the ball in his hands was the most important thing, not how they did it. The Chicago Bears might be reaching the same conclusion with Jones. If throwing it to him isn’t the answer, just hand it off instead. He should give the backfield more explosiveness alongside D’Andre Swift.
