When the Bears traded for wide receiver Chase Claypool, fans weren’t expecting an immediate impact. But it’s safe to say they were expecting more than 12 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown through five games.
So what’s the reason for Claypool’s lack of involvement? A strong commitment to the run game? A struggling passing offense? His understanding of Luke Getsy’s scheme?
Bears coach Matt Eberflus says Claypool isn’t quite up to speed with the offense.
“I wouldn’t say he’s there yet,” Eberflus said Monday. “I would say he’s getting there. He’s getting there and working there just like everybody else. But again, it’s all new to him and there’s a lot of volume of offense that he has to learn and he’s getting there.
“He needs alignment, assignment and get all the things down, the route depths and the routes, the discipline of running the routes. He’s in a good spot. He’s in a good spot. We’re looking forward for him to get better every single week.”
The trade for Claypool, which sent Chicago’s 2023 second-round pick (which is a borderline late first-round selection), was one made for the future. The Bears weren’t contending this year, but looking ahead to free agency there aren’t any big names hitting the market. So, after some evaluation, GM Ryan Poles did what he thought was best for quarterback Justin Fields and landed a playmaker at receiver.
These final four games will provide Claypool an opportunity for valuable on-field reps with Fields before the offseason. The expectation is Claypool will play a significant role on offense next season, along with Darnell Mooney, which means every rep is important.
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