Chicago Bears News: Tensions brewing with Chase Claypool

Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool wore out his welcome with the Pittsburgh Steelers and that would be the reason why the Steelers were able to finesse the Bears out of a second-round draft pick for Claypool at the NFL Trade Deadline last season.

Claypool’s initial run with the Bears was a disappointment. Claypool appeared in seven games for the Bears last season while totaling 140 receiving yards on 14 receptions despite being targeted 29 times overall. Off the field, Claypool wasn’t a stellar addition to the Bears’ locker room as there were multiple blowups between the wide receiver and the team’s coaching staff.

Admittedly, the chances of Claypool finding success immediately with the Bears last season were farfetched. Claypool was learning a new offense on the fly and for the Bears, the payoff was hopefully going arrive this offseason as the wide receiver had the appropriate amount of time to learn the system and develop a connection with quarterback Justin Fields.

The plan was off to the right start as Fields praised Claypool during the team’s initial set of workouts in April but tensions appear to be brewing once again. Claypool has been sidelined for a majority of the team’s mini-camp this month and that may be the source of discontent between the team and veteran wide receiver. 

"“All I can tell you is it isn’t trending in a way that the Bears have wanted it to trend in this offseason,” Marc Silverman said on the radio.“I have heard from a few people inside that building that he is not somebody who is very self-motivated,” Silverman said. “There’s a long way to go. Chase Claypool can change the narrative.”Ryan Taylor via NBC Sports Chicago"

The Chicago Bears’ experiment with wide receiver Chase Claypool is going about as well as expected.

Claypool is set to become a free agent after this season along with fellow teammate Darnell Mooney. Given the compensation that Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles has already spent on acquiring Claypool, the expectation had been that the team may be more inclined to re-sign Claypool as opposed to Mooney. However, such a decision can not be justified if Claypool isn’t able to work his way onto the field.