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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff Writer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Velus Jones Jr. spent six minutes Wednesday recounting the life and trials of his late pet ferret, Crash.
The story, which earned its entry point after a casual conversation Jones had during practice, was picked up by cameras on “Hard Knocks” and provided details that grew wilder as the third-year Chicago Bears wide receiver walked down memory lane.
While playing at USC, Jones and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who were roommates, went to a PetSmart and played with ferrets during their downtime before a road game at Idaho. Upon returning to campus, the two found a ferret breeder via Craigslist, drove to the South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles and forked over $350 to become pet owners.
Velus Jones Jr. shared some videos and pictures of his beloved pet ferret
RIP Crash
“It was sad, you know. I shed a tear. Real men cry”
Full story: https://t.co/Nf39vwVTHV pic.twitter.com/DiN5kqs6kC
— GNSportsTV (@GNSportsTV) August 15, 2024
“It was the sketchiest thing ever,” Jones said.
Crash was paralyzed from the waist down, so Jones would put him in a pouch and carry him to tutoring sessions. The ferret eventually had to be put down in 2020 when Jones transferred to Tennessee and now rests near the river at 303 Flats in Knoxville.
“He’s a legend, for sure,” Jones said.
By the end of training camp, Jones hopes he’ll be remembered for more than an entertaining tale of his late beloved pet.
On an offense filled with playmakers, the 27-year-old, who was drafted 71st overall by Chicago in 2022, is trying to find a fit that will better his chances of making the 53-man roster.
After two lackluster years when he totaled 11 catches for 127 yards and one touchdown, the Bears approached Jones about moving from wide receiver to running back. The experiment began in practice four days ahead of the Bears’ second preseason game at Buffalo and played out in the second half of Chicago’s 33-6 win, in which he had six carries for 34 yards and a touchdown, the first time he’d seen the end zone since his rookie season.
“It felt good. I was kind of winded,” Jones said. “Running back is a little bit different.”
The Bears were drawn to Jones’ 4.31-second 40-yard dash speed and believed he could be an impact player on special teams and as an outside weapon on offense. Several muffed punts as a rookie in high-leverage situations made coaches look to other returners. The Bears utilized Jones on an occasional end around or jet sweep during Luke Getsy’s tenure as offensive coordinator, but the wide receiver never made the impact the team had hoped.
For Jones to stick on the roster, he’ll have to maximize his contributions in multiple areas. He developed into an explosive option on kickoff returns in 2023, and the changes to the rule have coaches hopeful that Jones will become a weapon that can put Chicago’s offense in better starting field position.
“A guy like that with the type of skill set, with the speed and power that he has, and he’s coming full speed ahead at you,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “It’s like a damn freight train running at you and he’s going to get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game, and we all know he’s a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands.”
Jones muffed — then recovered — a kickoff at Buffalo, which he said was the result of a miscommunication with fellow wide receiver Tyler Scott, who was also back on kickoff return. While he tripped over his feet in the open field on one of his first carries, Jones redeemed himself with a 19-yard run and showed a willingness to barrel into contact, a skill that will be required of him at running back as the Bears continue with this experiment for another week.
Jones started the week practicing with the second-team offense, but he earned his first reps with the unit quarterbacked by Caleb Williams during Thursday’s joint practice.
“Just toughness, and he’s able to handle that position,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “You would think that, hey, become a receiver and then go back to the halfback spot, you’ve got to have some toughness in there, and he does.
“And he’s able to get the reads down. He’s slowly getting it. It’s not easy to learn how to run the outside zone, the inside duo play and all the plays that everybody runs in the league. That takes time. And then really about the protections, he’s learning that. I know he was up here talking about that. He’s getting those, too.”
Running back was Jones’ first position when he began playing in a park league during his youth and continued during his senior year of high school. Between USC and Tennessee, Jones averaged 3.9 yards on 15 rushing attempts, a sample size that highlights how much Jones must learn to gain an understanding for the position and the nuances the role requires.
“Well, it’s more than just running the ball,” Jones said. ‘Protections, you know, having your eyes in the right spot to protect the quarterback, just knowing certain runs and why you’re running the way you’re running. Do you have to bounce? Do you have to hit the A-gap, B-gap? And so just getting a full understanding.
“I did some of it last year. But it was kind of schemed up so I knew exactly but actually just grasping the whole playbook. And so just learning day by day. That’s all I can do, continue to work, study, go out there and give it my all.”