Getty Bears hybrid running back Velus Jones Jr.
The Chicago Bears felt confident about Velus Jones Jr.’s switch from wide receiver to running back during 2024 training camp — so confident that general manager Ryan Poles set a high trade price when one team came calling about Jones’ trade availability ahead of the 53-man roster cutdown on August 27.
The final episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” featured a behind-the-scenes conversation between Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus centered on another team inquiring about Jones.
While the September 3 episode did not specify which team asked about Jones or whether the team made a trade offer to the Bears, it did reveal Poles set the bar high in terms of compensation.
“I’m just trying to draw the line and say what I would do, what I wouldn’t do. I would never go below a four [fourth-round pick],” Poles said. “The value, does it make sense on paper? That’s unbelievable value. Does it make sense for the Bears right now? No.”
The “value” to which Poles is referring suggests the Bears had an offer to weigh, though the episode did not make that clear. Either way, Poles’ compensation demand speaks to how much Jones has enriched his value with the Bears over the past month.
Will Velus Jones Finally Break Out at Running Back?
The Bears moved Jones — a 2022 third-round pick — to running back at the beginning of August in hopes of giving him one more chance to make the roster. He had stood out as a kick returner over his first two seasons, but he had also failed to make an impact as a wide receiver, catching 11 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown over 26 career games.
Fortunately for Jones, the change took naturally. He quickly caught on at the position and impressed the staff enough to earn reps out of the backfield during the preseason. He then made the most of his opportunities, rushing 25 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns and showing off his ability to navigate traffic as a ball carrier.
The Bears were sold, as September 3’s finale of “Hard Knocks” made clear. Running backs coach Chad Morton praised Jones in the episode for making the position switch and also having the right mentality about it. Meanwhile, Poles — the man who drafted Jones in 2022 — also spoke optimistically about his renewed value on offense.
“Chad invested in him, [he] looks really good and now we can see,” Poles said. “It kicks off this extra runway to prove that he can play in this league at maybe running back, but you’re going to be active and help us win games on special teams. You’re willing to add that extra runway to continue to develop.”
Bears’ Backfield Rotation Remains Unclear for 2024
The Bears seem motivated to get Jones touches out of the backfield heading into 2024, but it remains unclear exactly how they plan on divvying up the running back reps.
D’Andre Swift is the clear No. 1 running back in the rotation and should see a bulk of the carries after the Bears signed him to a three-year, $24 million contract during free agency in March, but Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are also both vying for reps. The Bears also have Travis Homer and fullback Khari Blasingame on the active roster.
The Bears carried the ball 534 times during the 2023 season and averaged more than 31 carries per game, but quarterbacks Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent accounted for 147 of them on designed runs and scrambles. That left roughly 22.7 carries per game for the other offensive skills players, including both running backs and receivers such as Jones.
Even if the Bears hand the ball off at least 25 times per game to their non-quarterbacks in 2024, there still is not much room for Jones to see regular carries. Optimistically, he could expect between two and four handoffs per game, but he also does not have any assurances that he will be involved at all, especially if Swift and the rest handle things.
Jones will still have his uses, though. He has averaged 27.4 yards per kickoff return over his first two seasons and should benefit from the NFL’s new kickoff rule changes, which are designed to enable more dynamic returns. Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower also noted in the “Hard Knocks” finale that Jones had taken a step forward as a gunner, giving him even more value for their special teams coverage units.
Only time will tell if Jones proves deserving of such trust.
