Ryan Poles needs to admit another mistake at wide receiver
The Chicago Bears have already dealt with one weak link in the wide receiver room in 2023, and it's time they address another. Following Week 8's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, Bears general manager Ryan Poles needs to swallow his pride and admit that he made a mistake once again […]
The Chicago Bears have already dealt with one weak link in the wide receiver room in 2023, and it's time they address another.
Following Week 8's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, Bears general manager Ryan Poles needs to swallow his pride and admit that he made a mistake once again at the position.
Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. simply hasn't lived up to the hype after being drafted with the 71st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Sunday's loss on primetime was an all time low for Jones during his short tenure with the Bears. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones played just three offensive snaps in the loss, but even that was enough to confirm he shouldn't be on the field anymore.
Jones had his biggest blunder in the second quarter when the Bears desperately needed a score while trailing 17-0. The Bears saw their opportunity when quarterback Tyson Bagent launched a wide open ball to Jones that unfortunately was under thrown. However, Jones failed to adjust to the ball with no defenders around him, fell on his back, and dropped the deep ball in the endzone.
Jones saw only one more target the rest of the night, which he managed to turn into a four-yard gain. The endzone mistake caused quite the stir on social media with fans and media personalities demanding that Jones stint in Chicago should be over.
The reaction is a disappointing one for the former third-round wide receiver but at the end of the day, Jones just hasn't been able to make an offensive impact and it's hurting the Bears offense to have him on the field.
“I am frustrated,” Jones said after the loss. “You work so hard throughout the week. I feel like moments like this is when you find yourself, so I’m not going to let that play determine who I am. I know I’m a deep-ball threat. I know I’m fast. I know I’m a playmaker with the ball in my hands, so I’m not going to let that play define who I am. When that play comes again, I’ll just make a play on it.”
Unfortunately for Jones, it's hard to justify a play like that should even come his way again. Jones hasn't proved to be a deep-ball threat, nor a playmaker, during his 19 career games. Jones has only recorded 13 receptions for 125 yards and one receiving touchdown. Jones has also added 125 rushing yards and another score on the ground in his career.
For a third-round draft choice at the position, that's unacceptable production. It's even worse for a player who is already 26-years-old and just now in his second NFL season. Jones real value to the Bears comes on special teams where the he's returned 28 kickoffs for an average of 27.5 yards.
If that's the only thing you'll be missing from Jones, you can easily replicate that kind of return production elsewhere while finding someone else who is more deserving of the offensive snaps. Sunday's loss should be the final realization that Poles made yet another mistake in the wide receiver room and it needs to be addressed.
3 takeaways from Bears SNF loss against the Chargers
It was a tough loss on primetime
