Chase Claypool will be behind whenever he begins the most important season of his career.
The Bears put the wide receiver on the physically unable to perform list Sunday in anticipation of Claypool being not ready to practice once veterans report to Halas Hall on Tuesday. Claypool missed most of OTAs and all of the team’s June mandatory minicamp with what head coach Matt Eberflus called setbacks from soft-tissue injuries.
Players can be activated off PUP at any time during training camp, but they can’t be put back on the list. Those on PUP are not allowed to participate in practice, but can take part in team meetings and work out on the side.
Even a brief PUP stint would be a less-than-ideal way for Claypool to begin a contract year. Bears general manager Ryan Poles told the Sun-Times this offseason that he “needed to see more” from Claypool before deciding whether or not to extend his rookie contract.
It’s bad news for quarterback Justin Fields, too. There’s no more important question the Bears must answer this season than whether Fields is their quarterback of the future. Fields is eligible for a contract extension at the end of the season; Poles has two first-round picks at his disposal if he decides against committing to Fields.
Fields needs Claypool healthy. He needs him on the field, whether it’s in practices or games. A midseason trade meant Claypool had to work all last season to establish chemistry with Fields. The offseason — be it OTAs, minicamp or training camp — was supposed to be a critical time for the two to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each other.
Claypool was hurt during the last three weeks of the Bears offseason program but quarterback Justin Fields told the Sun-Times last week that he looked healthy when he worked out with him — and other offensive teammates — in Florida this month.
The 25-year-old drew the ire of Bears fans disappointed with his production after Poles sent a second-round pick to the Steelers for him at last year’s deadline. The Bears never won another game after the trade, and the pick became the first choice of the second round: Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Claypool did little to solve the Bears’ problems at wide receiver. He totaled only 14 catches for 140 yards in seven games after the trade. By contrast, he had more than twice the production — 32 catches for 311 yards — in eight games with the Steelers.
Poles continued his search for receiving help this offseason, using the No. 1 overall pick to land DJ Moore from the Panthers alongside a trove of draft picks. Moore is the Bears’ clear-cut No. 1 receiver, with Claypool competing with Darnell Mooney for the No. 2 spot. Mooney missed offseason practices while recovering from a grisly ankle injury, but Fields said last week that Mooney was “ready to go” for training camp.
Claypool will be — eventually. There’s a lot riding on his season. He was the only prominent player Poles acquired in his first season, and the GM can’t afford to miss badly on the trade.
The former Notre Dame receiver can make himself a lot of money — from the Bears or someone else — with a strong 2024. He is likely to be part of a free agent class that includes receivers Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr and Tyler Boyd. All three will be in their 30s by March, which could position Claypool is an intriguing long-term bet.
Then there’s Fields, who needs to establish that connection with his receivers.
Before the Bears broke for the summer, head coach Matt Eberflus laid out what was at stake for Claypool at training camp.
“It’ll be big for ‘Clay,’ getting the timing and the rhythm down,” he said. “The other guys do have a head start on him because they’ve been here and they’ve done it.”
Now that gap will only grow larger.
