Another day, more drama brewing for the Chicago Bears in Halas Hall.
Wide receiver Chase Claypool, a highly scrutinized player on the team, finds himself in the spotlight once again.
Claypool, who has four receptions on the season, was asked by Courtney Cronin of ESPN if he believed the Bears coaching staff had put him in a position to showcase what he can do best.
His answer: a seven-second pause, followed by a “No.”
Claypool was later asked, “What is the best place for them (Bears Coaching Staff) to put you in for you to succeed?” to which he replied, “You know, I’ll let them decide that. I’m not going to give any pointers. That’s their job to decide and I’ll just do what they tell me to do.”
This comes a bit over a week after quarterback Justin Fields‘ viral press conference where he stated he was playing “robotic” and attributed the coaching to some of that. Claypool’s comments only add to the mounting pressure and criticism on the coaching staff.
The 25-year-old has had a slow start to his contract season, with four receptions for 51 yards and one touchdown.
Claypool received heavy criticism for his lack of effort when blocking. While he has improved his blocking, his lack of production in the passing game has been too much to ignore. His inability to use his large frame against smaller defenders, some drops, and effort has been a recurring issue for the receiver.
The criticism is a product of the Bears trading the no.32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for Claypool. General manager Ryan Poles traded the top pick in the second round for Claypool, who has produced just 191 receiving yards and a touchdown in 10 appearances for the Bears.
Claypool has a right to call out the Bears’ coaching; they haven’t been able to utilize any player on offense correctly. But it’s something that a player shouldn’t do; it messes with team chemistry, and it’s something that can create a divide in the locker room.
The receiver should’ve expressed his frustrations behind closed doors, plain and simple.
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