Bear Digest

The New Ways Bears Receiver Velus Jones Jr. Sees to Prove Himself

Even with the Bears receiver corps fully loaded, Velus Jones Jr. envisions two good reasons why he can make the team more explosive in his third season.

Gene Chamberlain

Bears Get to Work Practicing the Passing Attack.mp4
Bears Get to Work Practicing the Passing Attack.mp4 /
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At first, Velus Jones doubted the validity of stories saying the NFL changed the kickoff rule to allow for more returns.

"I found out it was real and I was like 'Oh, man. It's crazy!' " the third-year Bears receiver said. "One of my great friends, my brother, my high school quarterback Jack West, sent it to me. Like I said, I didn't know how real it was.

"But true enough, it's real. I'm looking forward to that. I'm definitely getting our offense good field position and possibly getting a lot of kickoff returns for touchdowns."

His special team coordinator, Richard Hightower, had a hand in devising the new rule that is based on an old XFL rule, and sees Jones as an ideal fit for this as a big return man with speed.

"I just think with a player with his size—6-foot, 200-plus pounds—that can run a 4.31, they don't make guys like that every day, with that type of speed and that type of size," Hightower said. "Him having the ball in his hand four to five more times a game gives him a chance to bring some excitement and some really good field position, we're hoping, for Caleb. For whoever the returner is back there."

Hightower needs to qualify that because Jones has kick return competition from DeAndre Carter, although Carter actually has been a better punt returner in his career than kick returner.

"I got speed, physical, I have size. It's tough already to bring me down, but giving me a head start?"

- Bears return man Velus Jones Jr.

Jones hasn't panned out as a receiver and especially as a punt returner, but the third-round 2022 draft pick might have just been handed a way to be impactful with more kick return chances.

"It definitely changed the game, real excited, definitely adds value to my game," Jones said. "I got speed, physical, I have size. It's tough already to bring me down, but giving me a head start?"

The reason a physical, fast player would have an edge is because all of the blockers and return men line up within 10 yards of each other at the receiving team's 40. Jones sees it as a chance to build up a good head of steam before he needs to make a cut. It also gives him more time to assess the blocking as he moves forward.

"I've seen the XFL before, watched some XFL film on it so really curious how teams are going to go about it and stuff like that," Jones said. "I know they want excitement back into the game because teams can eliminate a kick returner by just kicking it out of the end zone.

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"So I feel like just bringing that excitement back to the game and that's what everybody wanted to see. So pretty excited."

There's no doubt the kick return had become a lost art because of a previous rule change making it easier for teams to dump it into the end zone and force opponents to start at the 25. In fact, last year only three return men averaged more than one return per game.

They'll still kick it out of the end zone, but it will move to the 30-yard line now if they do it and not the 25. 

"You don't have to depend on blocks as much anymore," Jones said. "It's everybody get a hat on your man, it's just a feel for it. Whatever hole opens up, you hit it full speed."

Jones averaged 27.2 and 27.6 yards per return in his two seasons with 38 total returns.

Minnesota's Kene Nwangwu averaged 26.3 in 2022 and made All-Pro second team when Jones averaged 27.6 per return. But Nwangwu has had three kick return TDs in his three seasons and Jones hasn't had any.

Green Bay's Keisean Nixon has been All-Pro first team two straight years averaging 28.8 and 26.1 yards per return with one TD. The difference between the two is the Bears have opted not to bring it out as much as the Vikings and Packers have, or opponents have chosen the touchback more. Nixon has 65 returns in those two seasons and Nwangwu 50 returns the last two years and 68 for three seasons.

Jones wants to be a contributor in other ways. It might secure him a job on the team if he can contribute as a receiver. So far he has only 11 catches on 21 targets with one touchdown for two seasons, but he has averaged 9.1 yards per rushing attempt with 154 yards on 17 attempts.

As a result, he's looking at this year as a new start for more reasons than special teams. He thinks the new Shane Waldron offense will find ways to get him touches.

"It allows you to play and get the ball in the players hands in may different ways," Jones said. "And it's really not a system where you know I feel like you just know this receiver is going to get all the targets and stuff. Anybody can have a breakout game in this offense.

Jones thinks the preseason games will be a key for him in this regard.

"And so I'm using this time in this new offense and I'm going to use the preseason to make as much plays as possible, to make sure that confidence is out the roof going into the year," Jones said. "And so that's going to feel real good.

"You know, last year I had like a knee issue with that joint practice (against the Colts). And so you know, just staying up, staying on top of my body so I can get a full preseason under my belt. So I'm really excited for that."

Jones has not been out of sight in the offense during practices. On Saturday he had an outstanding sliding catch for a touchdown and in an earlier practice caught a well-timed throw from Caleb Williams at the back corner of the end zone for a TD.

Last season there was plenty of talk about a new Jones but it never materialized. The early knee injury might have hurt him early, but he had full health by a month into the season.

"I feel like talk is cheap, especially in 2024," Jones said. "I mean you've got to show people the whole ball.

"Just prove it to yourself. I can talk about it all I can tell you is just stay tuned."

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Gene Chamberlain

GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.