One inescapable truth about the NFL is that you only get so many opportunities. Teams have a finite amount of patience when it comes to a player. You can work so hard and say all the right things. However, there comes a point where you must produce on the field. One could argue Velus Jones has gotten more opportunities than he deserves For all his athletic prowess, his mistakes seem to far outweigh his big plays. The Chicago Bears were willing to give him another chance after a strong preseason, helped by a transition to running back.
Lots of people were against the idea. Regardless of position, Jones’ unreliability was well-documented. It wasn’t worth the risk to them. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus stayed the course, believing he was too explosive to let go. Sure enough, in the first game of the season, Jones fumbled a kickoff return that led to three points for Tennessee. Needless to say, the Bears were not happy. Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower made that plain during his presser on Thursday.
“In regards to what happened in the game it’s unacceptable. As a human, I hurt for the kid. I do. But as a coach we have to evaluate all our options. And he knows in the return game, the No. 1 thing is to take care of the football.”
Jones was benched after the blunder, with veteran DeAndre Carter stepping in on return duties. He promptly took one back for 67 yards, helping fuel the Bears’ eventual comeback. Hightower didn’t mince words. That is a change he doesn’t mind making permanent.
“I’m totally comfortable with DeAndre doing such. That’s why he did it to finish the game.”
The Bears have done everything in their power to get him going since they took him in the 3rd round. They put him on return duties, crafted a package for him as a wide receiver, and even tried getting him the ball in the backfield. Across 27 games, he has 300 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. While he’s been solid in the return game, it hasn’t been enough to overcome four fumbles and two dropped passes. Hightower is correct. Protecting the football is more important than anything. If Velus Jones can’t learn how to do that, the Bears must find somebody who will. It’s unfortunate. Nobody can deny the kid has loads of talent. Sadly, it takes more than that to survive in this league.
