Getty Chase Claypool #10 of the Chicago Bears looks on before the game against the Tennessee Titans during a preseason game at Soldier Field on August 12, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Chase Claypool understands that he is heading into an important season for his NFL future with his rookie contract set to expire next offseason, but the way he is framing his priorities should be enough to make Chicago Bears fans giddy.
During a new segment of 1920 Football Drive, Claypool emphasized that making the playoffs and winning the NFC North with the Bears in 2023 are more important to him than achieving his own personal goals, such as earning a second NFL contract.
“For me, obviously, it’s my contract year, but it’s a year where I have to prove all my supporters right and all my doubters wrong,” Claypool said in the behind-the-scenes video leading up to the start of training camp. “But more important than that, we need to make the playoffs and we need to win the division, so I’ve got big goals for this year.”
Claypool has been a hot topic for debate since he joined the Bears midway through the 2022 season. The Bears traded a premium second-round pick (No. 32 overall) to add him to their roster, but his first half-season with the team proved fruitless with him catching just 14 passes for 140 yards and zero touchdowns on 29 targets.
Now, the fourth-year wide receiver is entering a do-or-die period with the Bears. They are counting on him to be one of their main receiving contributors in 2023 alongside new No. 1 D.J. Moore and fellow starter Darnell Mooney. If Claypool can rise to meet those expectations, he could potentially secure himself a long-term place in Chicago.
First, though, Claypool has to get healthy enough to get back on the practice field.
Chase Claypool Remains Out at Practice for Bears
The biggest concern with Claypool right now is his health. He has been sidelined at training camp for more than a week after dropping out of August 9’s practice with a hamstring injury. While he has remained a vocal participant from the sidelines, he is losing out on valuable on-field time with quarterback Justin Fields and the offense.
Claypool also missed time in the spring with injuries. He was only able to complete one week of the Bears’ offseason workout program before a soft-tissue injury led to the team shutting him down until the start of training camp, when he passed his physical.
Hamstring injuries can be tricky, and it stands to reason the Bears are being cautious with not only Claypool but also the rest of their injured players in preparation for the start of the new season next month. If the 25-year-old receiver is unable to get his body right in time for the season opener against the Green Bay Packers, though, it could get more difficult for the Bears to remain optimistic about his outlook for the 2023 season.
Will Tyler Scott or Velus Jones Jr. Play Against Colts?
GettyBears wide receiver Tyler Scott was also sidelined with an injury this week.
Claypool isn’t the only Bears wide receiver currently missing time with an injury. Neither Velus Jones Jr. nor fourth-round rookie Tyler Scott participated in the team’s final joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, August 17, and it remains unclear if either one of them will play in the second preseason game on Saturday.
Missing a preseason game is likely more damaging for Jones. The 2022 third-round pick struggled in the first exhibition game against the Tennessee Titans last weekend, muffing his second of two punt returns and catching just one pass on the afternoon. He could receive a golden opportunity to turn things around this weekend with the Bears set to rest most of their starters in their second preseason game against the Colts, but he has to be healthy first If he’s not, it could spell trouble for his roster security.
Scott would also stand to benefit from an uptick in live reps against the Colts. He caught just one pass for nine yards on two targets against the Titans, but he also fumbled at the end of that catch to spoil any goodwill it earned him with the coaching staff. As a 2023 fourth-round pick, Scott has more leeway to make mistakes than Jones, but it would still be problematic if his injury forced him to miss out on a full game of live reps.
If the Bears rest Moore and Mooney and are unable to clear Claypool, Jones or Scott from their injuries in time for Saturday night’s kickoff, they will be working with a skeleton crew of receivers that features Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis as the two best options. They also have Nsimba Webster, Daurice Fountain, Joe Reed and Isaiah Ford vying for depth roles/practice-squad spots with the team in 2023.