Bears sign RB Jones

Training camp convenes a week from today at Olivet Nazarene University and it will be good to see the fine people of Bourbonnais, Ill., again soon.

The Inside the Bears staff is going to swing back into action soon and well have a few reports between now and then starting with news that the Bears have agreed with running back Kevin Jones on a $605,000, one-year contract.

Jones, the former first-round pick of the Detroit Lions, is still working his way back from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered Dec. 23 in a game against Kansas City. That means its possible he will not be ready to contribute when the season beginstheres a difference between practice shape and game shape and injuries of this nature typically require at least eight months post-surgery. Thats the minimum. When we catch up with Jones, Id expect to hear him say hell be ready.

His presence as a former 1,000-yard rusher will create some competition in an area the team apparently decided some was needed. Rookie Matt Forte is still expected to be the go-to guy in the backfield but Jones could provide a 1-2 punch with him while also pushing veteran Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe, the third-round pick from 2007.