OK, Chicago Bears followers. This most likely was the a part of the Chase Claypool introduction you had been most trying ahead to.
“I’m a playmaker,” Claypool mentioned Wednesday afternoon, simply earlier than his first Bears follow at Halas Hall. “And I’m excited to make plays.”
The fast response from an keen fan base: Welcome aboard, man. Just how shortly are you able to get began?
As the latest addition to the Bears’ growing offense, Claypool presents lots to be enthusiastic about. He’s 6-foot-4 and 238 kilos. He ran the 40-yard sprint on the 2020 scouting mix in 4.42 seconds. He had a 10-touchdown season as a rookie and has greater than 2,000 profession receiving yards over 2½ seasons.
There’s apparent upside right here, which was an enormous purpose Bears common supervisor Ryan Poles felt compelled to commerce a second-round choose Tuesday afternoon to seize Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Bears, with the league’s least productive passing assault, want extra game-changing playmakers on offense. And if Poles failed so as to add sufficient weaponry to the receiving corps throughout his first spring on the job, he took an aggressive step to rectify that with this newest cube roll.
“You can never have enough weapons and guys who help your quarterback gain confidence,” Poles mentioned Tuesday.
Now, although, comes the duty of setting life like expectations — particularly for the ultimate 9 video games of the season. Yes, Claypool is an enormous, quick goal with a confirmed observe report of creating tough catches within the NFL. But no, he’s not an on the spot fix-all for a passing offense that has an extended technique to go in its quest to succeed in the middle-tier.
Even quarterback Justin Fields, who mentioned he was excited to convey Claypool aboard, knew higher than to forecast some form of fast, league-shaking offensive explosion.
“It’s not high school football where you just get a bigger, better receiver and you can just look off the safety and throw it one-on-one down the field,” Fields mentioned Wednesday. “You’re still going to have to go through your reads and go through your progressions. Of course, we’re going to work him into the offense slowly and try to get the ball in his hands. But I just have to stay even-keeled.”
Through eight video games, Claypool had 32 receptions, 311 yards and one landing for a Steelers offense that has had quarterback instability with the arrival of Mitch Trubisky after which the Week 5 swap to rookie Kenny Pickett. Claypool additionally was studying a brand new position, enjoying within the slot way more extensively.
“I feel like I didn’t have the full opportunity to show what I can do,” he mentioned.
Still, these stats would possibly present a practical goal for Claypool to intention at for the Bears’ last 9 video games as he learns a brand new offense, will get his toes on the bottom and finds his area of interest.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus struck a measured tone Wednesday in expressing optimism about Claypool’s potential however uncertainty about how that can translate into game-day manufacturing.
“We’re just going to let it play out,” Eberflus mentioned. “It will go where it will go. How fast does he pick up information? How fast does he jell with the other receivers, with the quarterback? And we expect really good things from that.”
It begins with testing Claypool’s potential to adapt and settle in. For what it’s price, the 24-year-old receiver landed at O’Hare round 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, made it to Halas Hall by 10:30 and rushed himself out to his first Bears follow a bit after 1 p.m.
He acknowledged his head was spinning from the whirlwind.
“For sure, a little bit,” Claypool mentioned. “But I think it will settle down after the first day.”
Adding to Claypool’s problem, this week is the Steelers’ open date. So he went from readying for an enormous exhale and a few much-needed midseason leisure to pushing to hurry up his acclimation in Lake Forest. He understands his new workforce hopes he can contribute quickly, maybe as early as Sunday towards the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field.
“I’m trying to take a day-by-day approach,” Claypool mentioned. “I’m not trying to figure everything out at once in terms of where I’m staying, (my) family and this and that. I’m focusing on the playbook first and then little extra meetings with coaches. That’s probably just one and two.”
Tight finish Cole Kmet is considered one of three Bears gamers who performed with Claypool at Notre Dame. (The others are receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and offensive lineman Sam Mustipher.) Kmet is aware of about Claypool’s big-play potential. But he appears as enthusiastic about Claypool’s infectious confidence and aggressive nature.
“He’s going to bring a lot of juice to the locker room,” Kmet mentioned. “He’s an ultra-competitive dude and that’s a thing we need on the team. He’s going to bring that competitive spirit.”
It’s not possible to say at this stage whether or not the Bears shall be seen as winners down the highway within the commerce. They must discover methods to make the most of Claypool’s strengths and channel a few of his brash confidence in the suitable course.
At this level, Claypool is solely making an attempt to take issues little by little with a aim to turn out to be a go-to weapon for Fields as quickly as doable.
“I’m excited to be able to gain that trust with Justin,” Claypool mentioned, “where he knows if he needs a play he can come to me.”
That course of started Wednesday. The timetable for reaching larger objectives continues to be to be decided.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com