As Velus Jones heads into his second season, the clock is already ticking for him.
He has to prove to the Bears that he should be a part of their future. And while his path at wide receiver was narrowed by the acquisitions of DJ Moore and Chase Claypool, Jones is the leading candidate at punt and kick returner.
General manager Ryan Poles likely had bigger dreams when he drafted Jones in the third round at No. 71 overall last year, but he’d be an ideal return man — if, that is, he can tighten up the ball-security issues that got him in trouble as a rookie.
Special-teams coordinator Richard Hightower is in charge of facilitating that correction, and the subject came up when he saw Bears legend Devin Hester at a wedding during the summer. Hester told Hightower his top priority was beating the ball to the spot so he’d be in prime position for a big return, and Hightower relayed it to Jones.
“We’ve always [coached] that with all of them, but when Devin shares it, it’s just different,” Hightower said. “So that’s the key thing they’ve been working on: getting there, getting square and then being able to make a play.”
Jones struggled to solidify a role last season and was derailed by hamstring injuries in training camp.
The first time he touched the ball in a preseason game, he fumbled the opening kickoff against the Seahawks. That was an ongoing concern, and he muffed punts at crucial moments in losses to the Commanders and Giants. He also had a 63-yard kick return against the Lions.
Offensively, he caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown and ran nine times for 103 yards and a touchdown.
O-line adjusting
For the first time in at least three years, the Bears are heading into the season with a clear starting offensive line made up completely of starting-caliber players. Barring injury, this isn’t a year in which a late-signing free agent can show up and challenge for a job.
The versatility of Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins has been vital in putting the group together.
Whitehair moved from left guard back to center, where he began his pro career. Jenkins has had a far more turbulent time with the Bears. Former general manager Ryan Pace drafted him 39th overall to be the Bears’ mainstay at left tackle in 2021, he moved to right guard last season and now he is slotted in as the starting left guard.
“The biggest thing is having another year in this offense,” Whitehair said of Jenkins’ progress at the new position. “Having to move from right guard to left guard, he’s done a good job. He’s in a good spot, and we’re just gonna continue to grow and get better.”
Roster moves
The Bears picked up tight end Jared Pinkney, 25, who played in four games for the Rams last season. He played 47 snaps on offense and 51 on special teams for the Rams and Lions over the last two seasons.
Pinkney went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2020, and the Bears are his fifth organization.
The Bears waived wide receiver Thyrick Pitts, an undrafted rookie they picked up in May, to make room for Pinkney.
