Velus Jones Jr. Fate to Be Decided

After second costly muff and other problems fielding the ball, Velus Jones Jr. realizes his time as punt returner could be at an end.

Everyone has regrets and now Velus Jones Jr. has another one.

The Bears rookie wide receiver cost the team with a poor decision and poor attempt to field a punt Thursday night, and the ensuing lost muff inside his own 10-yard line led directly to the game's only touchdown and a 12-7 Bears loss.

It would be more easily forgiveable if Jones had done this once, but it was the second costly muff in the fourth quarter in two weeks and now coach Matt Eberflus is going to look into replacing Jones in that aspect of special teams.

"The No. 1 job of a kick returner or punt returner is to catch the ball,' Eberflus said. "So we're going to have to look at that."

"I was better than that," Jones said. "I know the competitor that I am but it wasn't a smart play. I should have let it go. I tried to do too much."

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Jones' difficulties actually started before the muff. He had problems judging punts and admitted he fair-caught one punt when he had clear sailing ahead. One other hit the ground and rolled back inside the 10 that should have been fielded, and another wasn't fielded and took a fortunate hop right to Jones.

Problems for Jones at fielding punts could have been anticipated by coaches, but it was the stated policy all offseason and training camp by special teams coordinator Richard Hightower that anyone who has fielded the ball on either punt or kick returns can do both.

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However, both tasks are entirely different—one coming with players around waiting for a fumble and the other usually done with the comfortable option of taking a touchback.

Jones lacked much punt return experience prior to this season.

"Last year was my first year of doing it," Jones said. "I had a lot of success with it."

That was in college at Tennessee, and he had only 18 returns. He said he didn't have a history of problems fielding punts.

"No I didn't really have issues," he said. "I had one muffed punt vs. Ole Miss."

To his credit, Jones didn't cower in a corner or shoo away reporters in the locker room late Thursday night, but did acknowledge it could be the end of his punt return duties for now.

"I'm a man; I own up to my mistakes," Jones said. "That was a devastating blow or we wouldn't have been in that situation if that punt wasn't muffed.

"But I'll just play my role whatever that is and just keep being positive and keep a positive mindset and do whatever I can for the football team whatever that may be."

The near future could be confined to learning to be a better receiver, along with kick returns if he is trusted with those. 

"I'm not sure," he said of his fate. "That will be taken up over the (weekend) break but whatever my role is I'll play it to the best of my ability."

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