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When the Chicago Bears acquired wide receiver Chase Claypool during last year’s trade deadline, it was a whirlwind for both parties. Claypool had fallen out of favor with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who wound up trading him to the Bears for a second-round pick, and had to get on the fast track to learning a new offense. For the Bears, they needed to find ways to work Claypool into the offense which proved difficult for a variety of reasons. But now with an offseason to reset and get fully integrated, things are looking up for the talented receiver.
The Bears held their second day of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) and Claypool was present and accounted for as he looks to build chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields and the offense. It appears he’s well on his way based on the comments coming out of Halas Hall.
Fields and head coach Matt Eberflus spoke with the media on Tuesday and each praised Claypool for how well he’s fitting in the offense at this juncture of the offseason. First, Eberflus was asked by NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock if he sees any change in Claypool’s comfort level with the team. “I do, this is the second time going around,” Eberflus explained. “He knows the formations, the motions, and the route disciplines, he’s learning that as we go. You can certainly see him getting more comfortable with Justin too.”
#Bears HC Matt Eberflus says he can see a different comfort level in Chase Claypool both with his understanding of the offense, route formations, etc. and in his chemistry with Fields
— Josh Schrock (@Schrock_And_Awe) May 23, 2023
Coincidentally, Fields showed how comfortable he’s getting with Claypool when he spoke with the media. He brought his teammate up unprompted during a question from ESPN’s Courtney Cronin about his focus at OTAs that turned into a genuine show of praise for Claypool. “Chase has improved tremendously, just from the end of last year to now,” Fields said. “That’s one thing I’m truly proud to say, just seeing his work ethic, his attitude change, you can just see he’s taken another step. Definitely excited for that.”
.@justnfields on @ChaseClaypool: "Chase has improved tremendously from the end of last year to now." pic.twitter.com/ZvZG7TZYSY
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 23, 2023
Fields mentioned Claypool’s change in attitude, something that could have expedited his departure from the Steelers last year. After back-to-back seasons with essentially 60 receptions for 860 yards to begin his career, Claypool struggled to find a consistent role on Pittsburgh’s offense in 2022. He suddenly found himself on his way to Chicago in the middle of the season to join a struggling Bears team while learning the offense on the fly. His production was a shell of what he put together his first couple of years, totaling 46 receptions and 451 yards with one score between the Steelers and the Bears.
But now that he’s acclimated to his teammates and the offense, Claypool appears to have fully moved on and embraced his role on the Bears. Seeing as how he has the belief of his coach and especially his quarterback, Claypool could be a pleasant surprise this upcoming season.