5 bounce back candidates on the Chicago Bears

4. Did we write Velus Jones off too soon?

While I said it would be hard to have a worse season than Chase Claypool with the Chicago Bears, Velus Jones did easily top him. Jones posted eight yards per game through the air as a rookie. He is a third-round pick entering year two but appears to be all but written off.

The fans have moved on, but the front office did as well. They traded for DJ Moore and Chase Claypool; then they drafted Tyler Scott. Even Equanimous St. Brown and Dante Pettis are back after they had better seasons than Velus Jones. So, that is the case. The case for him is the bounce back.

There is a world where special teams and return game ability keeps him active. Let's say that Chase Claypool does not pick things up. He runs a lot of the same routes that the Bears were asking Velus Jones to run; they run a lot of horizontal routes and can stretch the field sideways. If Claypool struggles, it could be Velus Jones stepping into his role.

Most analysts graded Tyler Scott higher than Velus Jones, but Velus Jones did go higher in the actual draft. Maybe there is a reason for that. Even with Mooney coming off of a foot injury, the door is not shut on him taking a step forward and finding himself in the role that so many are writing for other players.

Velus Jones has the downside of not making the roster. However, he certainly has the upside to bounce back, even if that means doubling his yardage total closer to 16 or 17.