Getty Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool is reportedly not "trending" in the right direction for the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears coaching staff was highly complimentary of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool during the team’s offseason workouts. But a new report has emerged negating those compliments.
In fact, ESPN Radio’s Marc Silverman had a very grim update on how Claypool is doing this offseason.
“I have heard from a few people inside that building that he is not somebody who is very self-motivated. There’s a long way to go. Chase Claypool can change the narrative,” Silverman said on June 14. “All I can tell you is it isn’t trending in a way that the Bears have wanted it to trend in this offseason.
“Claypool is a guy that they’ve wanted to see some things from. They have not been able to see those things from him, on and off the field. All those things don’t sound great for Claypool going into training camp on where they think he’s going to be.”
The Steelers dealt Claypool to the Bears for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The 2023 season will be the final year of Claypool’s rookie contract.
Claypool Trending in the Wrong Direction?
Silverman’s report probably isn’t going to surprise many Steelers fans. Claypool has arguably been trending in the wrong direction since the end of his rookie season.
He burst onto the NFL scene with a great rookie season, recording 62 receptions for 873 yards and 9 touchdowns. Claypool trailed Diontae Johnson by just 50 yards for the team lead in receiving, and Claypool led the Steelers with 11 total touchdowns.
But he’s only scored 3 touchdowns since then and his receiving numbers have dropped each of the past two seasons. In 2022, he had 46 catches for 451 yards and 1 score.
Over seven games with the Bears to end the 2022 season, he had 14 receptions for 140 yards. In 2020, Claypool had 7 catches for 110 yards in a single game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Maybe Claypool simply set his expectations too high after his rookie season. But there’s no denying he’s been a disappointment since then.
Silverman’s report just adds to that disappointment.
Bears Coaches Singing a Different Tune With Claypool at Offseason Workouts
It’s important to note that Silverman’s report was hardly an obituary for the 24-year-old receiver. As the ESPN radio host put it, there’s time for Claypool to “change the narrative.”
Actually, his coaches seem to be trying to help change that narrative.
Silverman’s report was in direct contradiction to what the Bears coaching staff said about Claypool during the second week of June.
Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy even appeared to suggest that the former second-round pick could be in a better spot now than he’s ever been previously.
“To say where he is now, obviously, he’s definitely in a much better place,” Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy told the media on June 7. “That’s what’s most important.
“Like coach Flus and those guys have said, I think that his positivity, his optimism coming into this thing, and his attack and his approach to how he’s trying to learn this thing is really cool to see.”
Bears wide receiver coach Tyke Tolbert sang Claypool’s praises as well.
“He’s a big target, as we know. People forget that he’s 230 pounds but he ran a 4.42,” Tolbert said. “He’s really fast. He was out here and he was getting behind the defense a few times.
“We’re excited to have him.”
The Bears, though, only have him for one more season. Claypool is entering a contract year, which makes this his most important season yet.
He will likely have to completely change the narrative to earn a second contract in Chicago.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the second-round pick it acquired from Chicago became cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
