Who Bears Believe Benefits Most from New Kickoff Rule

Bears special teams coordinator sees the new rule helping their "freight train running at you" on kick returns.

Velus Jones Jr. could be the guy the new NFL kick return rule was made to enhance...then again. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

It was Velus Jones' birthday Saturday and Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower wished his kick returner a happy birthday from rookie minicamp.

The birthday present might have come already in the form of the rule change for kickoff returns the NFL has put into play, one which Hightower had a big hand in formulating.

"So how it pertains to our team, you can only think about a guy like Velus Jones, great example," Hightower said of the rule change.

Jones, now 27 but in only his third NFL season, has had problems getting on the field on offense. It figures to be even harder with Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze added to the roster.

However, Jones' status as one of the league's best kick returners by average the last two seasons and this new rule change putting the coverage team at the receiving team's 40 with the kicker back at his own 35 will make for a different look. There is a landing zone between the goal line and 20 where a ball touching the ground must be returned.

Hightower doesn't think it's going to detract from Jones' abilities and might even enhance them.

"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," Hightower said. "And he's gonna get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game.

#Bears Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower thinks Velus Jones should benefit from the NFL's new kickoff rule pic.twitter.com/V3NhgFisTu

— Barroom Network - Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) May 11, 2024

"And we all know he's a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands. But this new rule, because of the landing zone, because of the league incentivizing returns, it's only going to have a really good effect for not only our whole return team but for a guy like that to really change the game."

Jones is 6-foot, 200 and ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the combine. As a rookie, Jones averaged 27.6 yards per kick return and last year 27.2. No one last year in the NFL had a better average for players who made at least 15 total returns.

He has averaged 11.4 per rush on nine attempts with a touchdown. His one receiving touchdown was essentially a run as it came on a jet sweep.

Hightower worked with Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi and Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel in coming up with this new idea for kick returns. Even the creators aren't entirely sure how it's going to play out.

"We're all learning," Hightower said. "It's new for everyone. It's been really a good opportunity to work on that and work through some of that, which we've done with the veterans (in offseason work).

"It's a little bit more limited in Phase 2, as you know the rules you can't go against each other."

In Phase 3, the part known as OTAs, they'll be able to go against each other without pads and will have a little better idea how the returns might work.

Richard Hightower spoke highly of Velus Jones skillset & speed & power.

Sounds like he has a secure spot as a kick returner with the new NFL kick return rules. We can stop the “Cut Velus” tweets, Bears aren’t cutting him. pic.twitter.com/U0IFgl3rjd

— Sadeek 🪐 (@SadeekNextWave) May 11, 2024

"It's intriguing because it's new football," Hightower said. "It's something new. We're all students of the game so we all enjoy learning and we all enjoy trying to mix and match and the chess game is where it's at in football."

Considering Jones' limited offensive output and opportunities on offense, it does sound like a chance for him to become a bigger threat at making an impact.

Best 2023 Kick Return Average

15 or More Returns

Returner	Average	Returns
Velus Jones Jr.	27.2	16
Raheem Blackshear	26.9	16
Marvin Mims	26.5	15
Jamal Agnew	26.1	15
Keisean Nixon	26.1	30
DeeJay Dallas	25.9	17
Kene Nwangwu	25.3	15

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven