Some In Locker Room Are Reportedly Frustrated With Chase Claypool

Justin Fields singled out Chase Claypool as somebody that took huge strides this off-season. He put in lots of work off the field and is far better prepared going into this season. It's never a bad thing to hear, especially after Claypool's dismal performance during the second half of last season. Talent is not the issue with the young receiver. He's shown flashes of brilliance over the past few years. His problem has always been consistency. Some in Pittsburgh felt he wasn't applying himself enough to take full advantage of that 6'4 frame and 4.4 speed.

It appears some inside Halas Hall are already getting annoyed by Claypool too. Part of this could be due to his continued absence from "soft tissue" injuries, according to head coach Matt Eberflus. Marc Silverman of Waddle & Silvy has heard other things about it. He explained on ESPN 1000.

That obviously isn't something you want to hear. Self-motivation is something this Bears regime has championed from the beginning. If Claypool struggles with that, it will not likely make him many friends inside that building. This is even more discouraging since he has plenty of reasons to be motivated since it's a contract year for him.

Chase Claypool won't have the backing of his QB forever.

D.J. Moore is already earning the full trust of Justin Fields in his absence. The big trade acquisition from Carolina has already established himself as the primary target before training camp even begins. Darnell Mooney is due to return from his ankle injury next month. That means Claypool will be competing with him for a share of the targets. That isn't great since Fields already has an established relationship with Mooney going back two years. Then there is Cole Kmet needing his opportunities.

All of those guys work their tails off as Fields does. Chase Claypool can't afford a sense of entitlement simply b because the Bears traded a 2nd round pick for him. While that is looking more and more like a miscalculation, GM Ryan Poles isn't about to compound one mistake with another by handing him a lucrative contract extension. He needs to get over this injury issue and start earning his keep on this roster. Otherwise, he could find himself out of a job next off-season with a bad reputation following him out the door.