7 Thoughts following the Bears loss to the Vikings

Chicago Bears Thought No. 3: Velus Jones finished strong, but…..

Like many, I have been critical of Velus Jones throughout this season. He failed as a punt returner thanks to his fumbles that caused the team to lose a couple of close games. His advanced age entering the league at 25 did not help his cause either.

But it would be an injustice to not acknowledge how well he has been playing as of late and he had himself a nice game against the Vikings.

He has also become a dangerous kickoff returner, with several nice kickoff returns in the last few weeks. That might be the only good thing to come out of the final months.

Still, all the drops and fumbles throughout the season left him with a terrible impression. It is not easy for fans to shake that image off quickly. And it should not stop GM Ryan Poles from upgrading the receiving corps because of his future with this team even as a gadget-type player. But only he can avoid fumbles and improves his catching.

Like many on this team, this offseason is critical for him to take the next step.