Without context, Velus Jones has been a disappointing prospect for a third-round draft pick. He was the 18th potential offensive playmaker selected in 2022, but he ranks just 38th in offensive yards from scrimmage and offensive touchdowns. While it’s hard to call a third-round pick with actual contributions to a team a flop, it’s fair to argue that he may have been drafted too high.

After all, the median contribution of a third-round wide receiver in his first five years from 2011-2018 was 16 starts in 51 games played. Interestingly, Jones currently sits at 2 starts and 26 games, meaning he’s on track for games played but significantly behind in starts. Of course, that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as Jones is just a “wide receiver” in the same way that longtime special teams ace Sherrick McManis was a defensive back. He can play that role, but so far he’s played more snaps on special teams than as a member of the offense.

Despite playing in an era where kickoff returns weren’t exactly inspiring enough to warrant a rule change, Jones still managed to get over a thousand return yards in his two seasons, ranking him 7th and 5th in the league. In terms of yards per kickoff return Opportunityhe was even better: 5th and 3rd overall. He didn’t have a return touchdown. Of course, only ten of those have happened since he was drafted. Jones also didn’t have a fumble in either of his two seasons as a kick returner.

In fact, his only two fumbles in the return game came on punt returns early in his career (which ranked him 10th in the league in fumbles by a punt returner, although his fumble rate was painful). He had three in total in two years, and those account for much of the criticism he faced. In other words, a few isolated moments, he had a handful of bad plays while trying to adjust to a role he had never played in five years of college.

Rather than focusing on concerns about two rookie mistakes, it’s worth noting that Jones also plays in the coverage unit of the return game. In other words, Velus Jones Jr. is actually a capable role player for the Chicago Bears. He’s a consistent asset on special teams and provides enough of an offensive weapon to justify a roster spot on his own merits. He’s taken on every role he’s been offered, and he’s made steady strides toward improvement when given the chance. He may never be considered a “bargain” compared to his draft position, but he’s definitely the type of all-around player a complete football team needs to be successful.