The Qualities Velus Jones Can Supply Bears Offense

Velus Jones brings at leat three needed qualities to the Bears offense under new coordinator Luke Getsy.

Two are physical and one is not.

"It is a benefit because I'm coming in with maturity," said the third-round draft pick. "I'm all about business."

Much has been made about the Tennessee receiver being 25 years old. 

If age brings wisdom, the Bears could use it. They've already had some alleged immaturity off the field this offseason in the receiver room with Byron Pringle being arrested at age 28.

"I was young, but now that I'm older, I realize what’s at stake, and this is the best job in the world," Jones said Friday at rookie minicamp. "And so, like I said before, they’re getting a guy that's mature.

"I don't care much about partying. I'm just coming in and I'm ready to establish a role on this team to help us win games. Definitely my mind is screwed on right."

The 4.31-second speed Jones brings can make him a deep threat but it also can make him a kickoff return threat. The Bears also have rookie Trestan Ebner who could return kicks.

But it's the world class speed Jones offers that could give him an edge there.

"My first position on offense was running back, I played cornerback before then," Jones said. "And so I was a late bloomer growing up. I remember I was always the smallest one. I was fast but everybody got much bigger and things like that.

"But I was always a late bloomer so I would say my elite speed didn't kick in until my junior year of high school. But speed always ran in my family when it came to my grandmother, my older cousin Collin, and my dad. Speed is always something we had in our genes."

The other thing the Bears can get from Jones is yards after the catch. 

Last year he finished with 286 yards after the catch and was third in the SEC, according to Pro Football Focus grades.

No doubt Getsy would love to get the 204-pound receiver involved in the screen game to try to break long plays.

The Bears tied the Giants for last in the NFL in yards after the catch last season with 1,609. They never managed to achieve YAC in coach Matt Nagy's offense.

In 2020 they were 21st with 1,717 yards, their best year. They were 28th in 2019 with 1,544 and 26th in 2018 when they won 12 games with 1,596 yards.

"I was talking to Luke the other day about his special attributes that he has and he's got a big plan for him," Eberflus said of the rookie. "He's going to look at his skill set and then we'll expand that role."

Maybe they'll even see Jones at his original position: running back.

"Let's start out at receiver then let's see what he can do moving him around to different spots and getting him the ball because he is an explosive athlete," Eberflus said.