Did the Lions give up on running back Kevin Jones too quickly?

That question might be answered Oct. 5 and Nov. 2., when the Lions play Jones' new team, Chicago.

One fact in the Lions' favor: Jones signed a one-year deal with the Bears for $605,000 -- far less than the $2.35 million he would have made with the Lions had they not cut him in March.

Jones is coming off his second major injury in two years. He suffered a torn ACL late last season, after suffering a serious foot injury late in the previous season. He drew some interest around the NFL, but teams weren't lining up to give him a big contract.

But no matter what the numbers are, it's going to hurt if Jones comes back and punishes the Lions in the uniform of a division rival. Players the Lions have let go have a tendency to have big games against their former team.

Take quarterback Joey Harrington. In 2006, he threw for three touchdowns and posted a 107.4 passer rating as Miami embarrassed the Lions, 27-10. On Thanksgiving Day, no less. That was his best rating of the season by a wide margin.

Take running back Artose Pinner. Not long after Harrington's performance, Pinner ran for 125 yards and three TDs as Minnesota beat the Lions, 30-20. He ran for 65 yards and zero TDs in the Vikings' other 15 games combined.

You know Jones would love to do something similar.

"I was upset just because I thought I knew them better than that," Jones said about his release in May. "I thought Rod (Marinelli) and (Matt) Millen and things like that would give me a chance to come back. Just letting me go when I was hurt kind of pissed me off. But I don't have any animosity. I'll see them again someday on the field or something. I'll take it out then."

CAMP CALENDAR
Players reported July 23. First practices were July 24.

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