Chicago Bears Reveal Big Plans For This Offensive Playmaker

When the Chicago Bears selected wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, many felt he would bring an explosive element to the Bears’ offense.

That has not happened.

Over the first two seasons of his career, Jones has been a non-factor. He logged nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown while also carrying the ball seven times for 107 yards and a score during his rookie campaign. This past year, Jones was even less productive, totaling eight receptions for 51 yards while rushing for 20 yards on four attempts.

However, Chicago seems to have a plan to involve Jones much more heavily in 2024.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower says that the new NFL kickoff rules mean that a player like Jones may be able to excel next season.

“You can only think about a guy like Velus Jones,” Hightower said, via the Bears’ official YouTube account. “A guy like that with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has and he’s coming full speed ahead at you, it’s like a damn freight train running at you. And he’s going to get the opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game, and we all know he is a very dynamic player with the ball in his hand.”

The new kickoff rules state that none of the players can move until the receiving player touches the football, which can certainly open things up for someone with Jones’ speed.

Jones has already established himself as a decent punt returner, as he has returned 38 punts for 1,042 yards over his first couple of seasons. That’s good for an average of 27.4 yards per return.

But now, with the new rules in place, Jones should be able to utilize his athleticism on kickoffs.

In order to establish a spot on Chicago’s roster long term, Jones may very well have to, as it doesn’t look like he has much of a chance of making much noise at wide receiver given the Bears’ depth chart at the position. The team added Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze this offseason, so whatever little opportunities Jones had in 2022 and 2023 probably won’t be there at all in 2024.

That’s why it’s important for Jones to assert himself as a major special teams threat come September.