Bears sign Kevin Jones

[SportsWorld]

Biggest signing of the year for the Bears!
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribu ... bears.html

The Bears have found their backup running back -- and he looks familiar.

Kevin Jones has agreed to terms with the Bears on a two-year contract worth approximately $3.5 million. The deal includes a $1 million bonus and $2 million in the first season.

Jones had visited the Bills, who offered him a contract, but the Bears showed how much they valued Jones by matching two offers by Buffalo.

"I'm ecstatic because [Chicago] is where I wanted to be,'' Jones told the Tribune on the phone from the airport in Buffalo. He was flying back home and expected to sign the contract when he returned Friday night. "I always felt I wanted to be back with these guys because it's a good situation.''

Jones will remain the primary backup to Matt Forte and even stepped forward to contribute on special teams at the end of last season.

[Chewie]

Zzzzz.....I'm guessing volunteering for and doing well on special teams helped his cause. He looked good in spurts early on but we didn't play him at all in the second half - to the point where he was inactive for a few games. Forte's only going to get better so I'm not sure what the appeal of the Bears is to Jones if he was an afterthought. Sounds like even Wolfe is going to get more of a shot this year. Which is bad, by the way, in case you didn't know.

[Balance-a-Bull]

Yarn....I think we could have done better.

I was not impressed by him last year.

Maybe he is totally healed from the injury and will looked better.....I hope.

[emperorjones]

I think he's going to be better one more offseason removed from injury. I guess we are not going RB in the draft at all this year. So Day 1 looks like WR, OT, S and what else? CB, OG?

[NoSkyy]

WR, OT, S look like more pressing needs, with us possible going with two WRs/OTs. We might be looking at perhaps C/MLB to replace some of our aging stars.

[emperorjones]

Agreed NoSkyy. Its actually pretty fortunate that our main needs are WR & ROT and the draft is loaded with them. I think we can also get a solid Safety. I'm hoping for WR at #18, best available Safety in the 2nd, a Right Tackle and a Guard with our two picks (one compensatory) in the 3rd. The draft seems to be loaded at WR, OT & OG.

In that scenario, we would have a totally rebuilt/young OL that could be solid for years. A Safety in the second could land us a stud and from all the Mock drafts it looks like we will be getting the 2nd or 3rd best WR in the draft if we grabbed one at #18.

However, since I am ALWAYS WAY OFF....we will probably go ILB, CB, TE and QB with our first four picks.

[ChronicKerr]

Not sure if this means we can cut him at no loss after this year but we need a backup RB and unless we wanted to take one early Jones is probably better then most options. I'm not quite sure why he was benched/inactive for much of the second half last year. Garrett Wolfe is a special team player and situational back at best. I think this means we aren't going RB early in the draft. Jones is a good player and hopefully a year after healing from his injury is what he needed.