The Chicago Bears saw significant contributions from rookies on offense, defense and special teams during the 2022 season, whether it was from draft picks or undrafted free agents.
Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. was the first offensive player selected by GM Ryan Poles. There were some who questioned the pick, wondering why Chicago was reaching for Jones in the third round. Jones had a rough rookie season, but he needed the year on a high note.
Let’s take a look back at Jones’ rookie season and see what we can expect for the future.
2022 stats
- 9 carries, 103 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble lost
- 7 catches, 107 yards, 1 touchdown
- 5 punt returns, 35 yards (7.0 avg), 2 fumbles lost
- 22 kickoff returns, 607 yards (27.6 avg)
2022 season review
Jones was the only wide receiver the Bears drafted last season, and there were many that thought they reached on him in the third round. Jones had a rough rookie season, where he struggled with muffed punts (that cost the team a couple of games) and carving out a role on offense. At one point, Jones was even benched for two games after a costly fumble against the Commanders in Week 6. It came to a point where many were doubting if Jones would even be on the roster in 2023. But Jones made a statement over the final three games of his rookie season, where he showed his potential both on offense and returning kickoffs. In the final three games, Jones had two rushes for 55 yards and a touchdown, as well as three catches for 80 yards. Jones also returned nine kickoffs for 258 yards, averaging 28.7 yards per return. It was the kind of performance that showed it’s far too soon to give up on Jones.
Best Game: vs. Bills (Week 16)
Jones really caught fire over the final three games of the season, where he showed his potential both returning kickoffs and as a gadget player on offense. But if I had to pick one of those, Jones’ performance against the Bills was his best of the season. He had two catches for 52 yards — both career highs — including a 44-yard reception from quarterback Justin Fields. Jones also flashed on special teams, returning four kickoffs for 113 yards (28.3 average), including a 40-yard return that set Chicago up with great field position.
2023 season outlook
Jones finished the 2022 season on a strong note, which certainly bodes well for his potential in 2023. The Bears will look to overhaul the wide receiver group, which currently includes Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown and Jones on the roster. Jones has plenty to work on this offseason, including further grasping the playbook, as well as improving his hands and separation. But there’s no denying Jones brings a ton of playmaking ability to the kick return game, which is something that’s been missing since Cordarrelle Patterson departed. The question is how impactful can Jones be on offense.
2022 rookie reviews
We’re unveiling our rookie season reviews over the next week. Here’s a look at the rundown from the 2022 rookie class:
| S Jaquan Brisker | OT Braxton Jones | LB Jack Sanborn |
| CB Kyler Gordon | WR Velus Jones Jr. | P Trenton Gill (2/12) |
| DE Dominique Robinson (2/13) | RB Trestan Ebner (2/14) | S Elijah Hicks (2/15) |
