Time on Task Is Key for Chase Claypool

The trade for Chase Claypool isn't history yet, reminds Bears GM Ryan Poles.

Claypool's 14 catches for 140 yards over the final seven games and three starts impressed few Bears fans. The deal looks even less impressive when it turned out they gave up the 32nd pick of the draft for him to Pittsburgh, or the equivalent of the last pick in Round 1.

It's actually a second-rounder but Miami lost its first-round pick for tampering so it is 32nd and not 33rd.

Poles used this topic to remind everyone football isn't the same sport as some others when it comes to fitting players in after trades because it involves intricate offenses and defenses. Poles' message was give Claypool time to learn and Justin Fields will eventually find him.

"That's the difference between trades in baseball and basketball—it's like plug and play," Poles said Tuesday at the season-ending Bears press conference. "There's an entire offseason and half of a season of installs and all the things you need to do collectively to play and execute offensive play.

"On top of that, it was a little bit choppy with Justin getting dinged up, he (Claypool) got dinged up. So it was a little bit choppy of a start. I told Chase—and we had a really good conversation—I'm not blinking at that one at all. I think he's gonna help us moving forward and I'm excited about it."

Fields suffered both a left shoulder separation and a hip injury during Claypool's seven games. Claypool had a knee injury and missed two games, as well.

It is true that Claypool wasn't at Bears offseason work, or preseason, training camp and didn't leave the Steelers until after Week 8, so Poles was asking for a little slack because his acquisition really hadn't had a good deal of time to fit into the offense.

The offseason work that Claypool promised to put in with Fields could be a key. It was for someone else.

"I think a little bit, too, is chemistry, just working with the group around him," Poles said. "I noticed through the season that guys (Fields) had the most time with in the offseason, that transferred into the season.

"I think that's why Cole (Kmet) had a hell of a year. So building that chemistry is big."

If Poles had wanted, he could have easily tossed in the fact they had the worst passing attack in the NFL and, as a result, leaned heavily on the top-ranked running game. So they threw less overall. There were fewer chances for everyone, including Claypool.

"I told him, yeah, I wish he came in with 1,000 yards and we're going," Poles said. "But it didn't happen that way. But do I believe in that talent and what he can bring to this team? Yeah, I do. I still think we're going to get that."

Claypool has a contract for 2023, but not 2024 so he could be in line for an extension at some point.

"In terms of the contract stuff, we just got to take the next step, see how he gets implemented and how he does in this offseason," Poles said. "He's going to spend a lot of time with Justin as well as the other receivers and build that chemistry. We'll evaluate that even clearer next year."

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