When you have a performance like what the Chicago Bears put together last week, it’s a reasonable assumption things won’t stay the same going into the next. The Green Bay Packers dismissed them 38-20, and a lot of it had to do with some truly piss-poor efforts by certain players. Too many breakdowns occurred—too many mental mistakes. The Bears have said they want guys who are 100% committed to doing their job on every single snap. After reviewing the tape, there is a reasonable probability that certain players might see more playing time this Sunday in Tampa Bay.
One prominent name people expect is Roschon Johnson. The rookie running back flashed several times late in the game against Green Bay. He had 20 yards on five runs, caught six passes for 35 yards, and was excellent in pass protection. The guy needs more work. However, one name quietly gaining traction in the Bears locker room is fellow 4th round pick Tyler Scott. Wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert admitted he made a mistake last week by not giving the rookie more opportunities, especially given what he was doing with them.
The Chicago Bears should be encouraged by Scott’s debut.
He did a little bit of everything. His big moment was a 33-yard kick return. He also caught both passes thrown his way for 14 yards, one of them for a first down. If that weren’t enough, Scott wasn’t afraid to throw his weight around as a blocker in the run game. He accomplished all of that in only 17 snaps. No wonder Tolbert wants to get him more involved. The only question is who he’ll take those snaps from. Based on evidence from that same game, it’s a safe assumption that person will be Chase Claypool. He was a liability as a blocker and failed to make a catch in both of his opportunities.
If nothing else, this is a positive sign for the latest Chicago Bears draft class. Several rookies had promising moments against Green Bay. Darnell Wright was the team’s highest-rated run blocker and won several pass-blocking reps. Johnson had his previously mentioned moments. Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was a contributor to the defense’s ability to stop the run. Then there was Scott. One hopes this is only a taste of better things to come. The coaching staff seems interested in exploring that further.
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Just freaking cut claypool aready. Sometimes you make a bad move. Don’t dwell on it. Move on.
Starting Carter over Davis couldn’t hurt.
I would just inactivate Claypool for this game and see if that changes anything. Not only with the team, but with him. If Flus wants to set the tone in the locker room, showing that anyone can be benched or inactive is a way to do it.