Justin Fields singled out Chase Claypool as somebody that took huge strides this off-season. He put in lots of work off the field and is far better prepared going into this season. It’s never a bad thing to hear, especially after Claypool’s dismal performance during the second half of last season. Talent is not the issue with the young receiver. He’s shown flashes of brilliance over the past few years. His problem has always been consistency. Some in Pittsburgh felt he wasn’t applying himself enough to take full advantage of that 6’4 frame and 4.4 speed.
It appears some inside Halas Hall are already getting annoyed by Claypool too. Part of this could be due to his continued absence from “soft tissue” injuries, according to head coach Matt Eberflus. Marc Silverman of Waddle & Silvy has heard other things about it. He explained on ESPN 1000.
That obviously isn’t something you want to hear. Self-motivation is something this Bears regime has championed from the beginning. If Claypool struggles with that, it will not likely make him many friends inside that building. This is even more discouraging since he has plenty of reasons to be motivated since it’s a contract year for him.
Chase Claypool won’t have the backing of his QB forever.
D.J. Moore is already earning the full trust of Justin Fields in his absence. The big trade acquisition from Carolina has already established himself as the primary target before training camp even begins. Darnell Mooney is due to return from his ankle injury next month. That means Claypool will be competing with him for a share of the targets. That isn’t great since Fields already has an established relationship with Mooney going back two years. Then there is Cole Kmet needing his opportunities.
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All of those guys work their tails off as Fields does. Chase Claypool can’t afford a sense of entitlement simply b because the Bears traded a 2nd round pick for him. While that is looking more and more like a miscalculation, GM Ryan Poles isn’t about to compound one mistake with another by handing him a lucrative contract extension. He needs to get over this injury issue and start earning his keep on this roster. Otherwise, he could find himself out of a job next off-season with a bad reputation following him out the door.
Deep breaths everyone. Deep breaths
Cole Kmet played with Chase Claypool at Notre Dame.Seems like he would be a perfect person to ask about Claypool prior to pulling the trigger on a trade. Do teams or GM’s co that?
This was a bad acquisition given his known mental attitude issues. I hope the new rookie Tyler Scott pushes him for a starting role. Makes ir easier for extensions Claypool vs Mooney. Dont’t wish it but yeah gotta do what you gotta do on both sides.
He had the exact same issues in Pittsburgh. It’s not new. Talent was never his problem. An average at best work ethic and lack of maturity is what sent him packing from Pittsburgh. He will either figure it out or be heading to his 3rd team in 2024 and most likely a career backup from there. I really hope not tho, cause he really is a talented kid when he puts his mind to it.
Training camp! Last year it was Tevon Jenkins this time last year and this year its Chase Claypool. We’ll see if he’s gonna turn it up in training camp. He has to be available and perform well. Cause Mooney and Scott and others will run him clean outta town. As for Poles the wr market kinda forced him into that transaction and it may comeback and bite him. It’s up to Claypool with him getting the negative attention this year to stand up and be counted upon