Chicago Bears fans were excited to see many debuts from the 2022 draft class. Top picks Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker were obvious. Surprise left tackle Braxton Jones was another. There was even a groundswell for emerging defensive end Dominique Robinson. However, much of the buzz centered on wide receiver Velus Jones. GM Ryan Poles surprised many people when he took the 25-year-old Tennessee standout in the 3rd round. It even came with the blessing of quarterback Justin Fields.
Early signs in the summer helped feed the hype train, capped by an outstanding 48-yard punt return against Seattle in the preseason. Sadly, his timetable was derailed by a hamstring injury that lingered for the past several weeks. Jones admitted waiting was difficult, but the Bears coaches have remained adamant about not rushing him back. Now, after three weeks, the time is at hand. The rookie was a full participant at practice on Friday. That is a strong signal that he will debut on Sunday against the New York Giants.
#Bears Friday Injury Report: pic.twitter.com/sDaf1UDSQM
— Bears Communications (@BearsPR) September 30, 2022
Jones’ return couldn’t be timed better for the Chicago Bears.
They just lost Byron Pringle to IR with a calf injury. So they’re light on receiving options for Fields. A lack of big plays through the air has also been an issue. Not only that, but the Bears haven’t gotten much action from their return game. Jones has the ability to fix both problems. His speed and run-after-the-catch ability are two valuable assets offensive coordinator Luke Getsy can exploit against that aggressive Giants defense.
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The weather is expected to be ugly—high winds and rain. That means the Chicago Bears must lean on their ground attack and some creativity to manufacture productive drives. Having Jones available for screens and end-arounds will make that task far easier. He may get limited snaps since he’s still getting up to speed. Still, don’t be surprised if the team looks to get him involved early.
Hamstrings have a habitual tendency. They damn sure want to make sure he is 100%!
groundswell for dominique robinson?? you’re awful
Rookie WRs tend to struggle in first year so I doubt he will have much impact as a wr as a return guy he could make a difference