We are inching closer to the start of training camp for the Chicago Bears as rookies are set to report on July 16.
In the time between now and the start of Training Camp, many are reviewing rosters across the NFL and throwing different angles against the wall and seeing what sticks. That is really the only way to explain the player that ESPN's Courtney Cronin chose for the Chicago Bears' player that stood out the most during OTAs.
- ESPN"WR Velus Jones Jr.
No one benefits from the changes to the kickoff more than the Bears' 2022 third-round pick. Jones, who struggled to carve out a role during his first two seasons, will have to be the team's best returner to secure his spot on a crowded wide receiver depth chart, but he has a solid head start given his impact on special teams. "
Velus Jones Jr. is entering his third season in the NFL but if we're being honest, he is on borrowed time with the Bears. Jones should have been cut prior to the start of the 2023 season but that would have been an extremely premature decision on a player who was drafted in the third round of the previous year's draft.
It's fair to say that Jones should be given an opportunity to prove his value on the Bears with the new kickoff rules but it's also important to remember that he has proven his only value to the Bears is as a return specialist. What has been problematic about that statement is that Jones has struggled in the very first requirement of being a return specialist, catching the ball. But hey, perhaps Jones was great at that skill during OTAs and finally stood out.
