Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. could find himself on the roster bubble this summer, where he’ll be looking to prove himself in what’s become a loaded receivers room.
Chicago will likely carry six wideouts on the roster, and those first four spots feel like locks for DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and rookie Tyler Scott, which leaves two spots up for grabs between Jones, Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis.
Jones’ best bet at locking down a roster spot is proving himself on special teams, and it’s something that’s stood out to coach Matt Eberflus, as well as a greater comfortability in his second season.
“First thing that stands out to me is returns,” Eberflus said Wednesday. “The punt returns, the kick returns, he’s really been consistent with that. He’s really worked his tail off with that. Then, the ability to utilize him as a guy back there with jet sweeps, the gadget plays, and also just being a receiver.
“I think he’s got the comfort level now, second-year through.”
Jones has made the most of his opportunities so far in camp, and he turned in a solid practice on Thursday with contributions on offense and special teams. Jones made some nice catches, including a deep touchdown from P.J. Walker during 1-on-1 drills. He also saw looks at kickoff and punt returner on special teams, which could help him earn one of those final roster spots.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has also noticed Jones is feeling more comfortable, where he’s showing a greater understanding in Year 2.
“You can see it when he breaks the huddle,” Getsy said Thursday. “Last year it was like, ‘Am I even going left or right the correct way?’ [Now] he’s breaking the huddle, he’s lining up. He’s getting in his spot and he’s doing his assignments at a much higher rate. All that stuff, you can see it in his game.”
