Sparks are still flying in the second week of the Chicago Bears’ training camp, so much so that general manager Ryan Poles had to step between two of his key starters during a particularly tense period of August 5’s practice.
According to Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago, Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool and free safety Eddie Jackson got into a “typical training camp scuffle” with each other during Saturday’s session after Jackson popped Claypool as he was going out of bounds.
“Claypool took offense to the hit and tossed the ball at Jackson’s face while giving the veteran safety a few choice words,” Schrock described. “The two started jawing before Claypool ripped Jackson’s helmet off, leading to a typical training camp scuffle.”
Schrock added that while the fight dissipated, Claypool and Jackson “kept jawing at each other throughout the remainder of the [team] period” until eventually Poles went over to them and “exchanged words with both players to calm things down.”
Claypool has a reputation for being a bit of a “hot head,” as Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney noted to reporters (with a smile) during the first week of camp practice. But as long as the tensions fade and do not extend beyond practice, the Bears should not have anything to worry about with him or others when tempers flare in competitive periods.
Never hurts to have the boss on hand to cool things off, though.
Bears Want Practice to be ‘Competitive, Not Combative’
Like with Velus Jones Jr.’s fight with Jaquan Brisker last week, it is not uncommon for these types of brawls to take place during camp practices with the passion and effort the Bears are demanding from their players. Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams also admitted he doesn’t mind having a “lively practice” like they did on Saturday.
Williams, however, also made it clear when asked about Claypool and Jackson’s scuffle that they want to make sure any battles are “competitive, not combative.”
“That means we are competing,” Williams explained to reporters. “We want to be elite competitors. Elite guys in how we compete. But we don’t want it to be combative. I don’t like the pushing and shoving after the whistle. When they let us do that in the ball game, hey, we’ll be all over it in practice. Part of it is playing hard, playing fast, playing with energy. I love the chippiness. That says that we’re establishing an identity. But the after-the-whistle stuff, yeah, I’m not for that part.”
Chase Claypool Should Play a Significant Role in 2023
On the bright side, the Bears should be enjoying the passion that Claypool is evidently bringing into their practices, even if ripping off a teammate’s helmet is going a bit far.
The Bears are expecting Claypool to be a primary contributor for their offense in 2023 as a big-bodied receiver. He is much bigger than both of his fellow starters, standing five inches taller than the 5-foot-11 D.J. Moore and Darnell Mooney, and has a rare blend of physicality and speed that allows him to fight hard for possession receptions. His size also makes him a formidable blocking weapon for the Bears’ run-heavy scheme, which is an area of his game that head coach Matt Eberflus praised earlier this week.
“We like where he is at,” Eberflus told ESPN 1000 about Claypool on August 2. “He’s starting to gel with Justin Fields. I’m really excited about the way he run blocks.”
Claypool caught 121 passes for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two full seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he could reach new heights in 2023 if he embraces his opportunity with the Bears and continues to build his connection with Fields. While they have more receiving weapons than they did in 2022, the only real competition Claypool has as a big-framed target is veteran Equanimeous St. Brown, who himself might not even make the roster if other targets outshine him.
In other words, if Claypool can do his part, there is a premium role waiting for him.
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Bears GM Breaks Up Practice Fight Involving Chase Claypool