Who are the worst Chicago Bears draft picks over the last 10 years?

Chicago Bears 2022 NFL Draft: Velus Jones Jr., WR

Selection: Third Round (71st overall)

It’s early enough that this pick could change, but going off what we saw in 2022 and accounting for both individual performance and draft selection, Velus Jones Jr. gets this spot.

For starters, Jones was taken 71st overall, 97 picks before the Bears picked again, making his expectations much higher than anyone who went after him. 

It’s also hard to talk about Jones without bringing up his age. Jones spent six years in college and was 25 during his rookie season. 

This is what makes this pick so concerning only a year in. Unlike most rookies that enter the league at 21 or 22 years old, Jones has already entered his athletic prime and seemingly has less room for growth than his younger counterparts.

For what it’s worth, Jones was more involved in the offense toward the end of the season, which could possibly lead to a bigger role in 2023. 

Still, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Failing to establish a prominent role on an offense that had games where Equanimeous St. Brown was WR1 isn’t a great look. 

Jones is a tremendous athlete and is electric with the ball in his hands, but his limited skill set as a receiver has made it quite difficult for the Bears to scheme up targets for him. 

At this point in time, Jones seems to have the makings of a gadget player rather than a receiver, and that wouldn’t be a big deal if he wasn’t taken in the top 75 picks in a draft where the Bears chose to otherwise neglect the receiver position.