The Green Bay Packers wide receiver room is looking green this year. Their rival, the Chicago Bears, has experienced wide receivers this season, but one player appears to be rubbing the wrong way with the team’s leadership.
The Green Bay Packers tried to trade for Chase Claypool
The Bears traded for wide receiver Chase Claypool before last season’s trade deadline. The Packers were in on the trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Claypool. However, the Bears won the trade because the Steelers thought the 2023 second-round pick from Chicago would be more valuable than the Packers’ second-round pick. They were right, as the Bears handed the Steelers the 32nd pick in this year’s draft.
The trade didn’t seem to go well for the Bears. Claypool struggled after the trade and appeared confused with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s offense. He was expected to get up to speed this spring but missed practice in OTAs due to a soft tissue injury. There appears to be more to the story.
The Chicago Bears are frustrated with Claypool
According to ESPN’s Waddle and Silvy, the Bears appear to be growing frustrated with Claypool, whose contract will expire after this season. Marc Silverman said he was told by multiple sources that Claypool was trending in the wrong direction this offseason with the Bears:
“I have heard from a few people inside that building that he is not somebody who is very self-motivated,” Silverman said. “There’s a long way to go. Chase Claypool can change the narrative.”
WADDLE & SILVY@WaddleandSilvy has heard that the @ChicagoBears aren’t happy with where things are with Chase Claypool@TWaddle87 pic.twitter.com/Xc0kjlDf7Z
— ESPN 1000 (@ESPN1000) June 14, 2023
Getsy said Chase Claypool was better this offseason
This report does fly in the face of what Getsy told reporters during OTAs. According to Josh Schrock with NBCSports, Getsy said Claypool was in a better place than last season:
“I think comfortability within the building, whether that’s being around the head coach, being around us on the offensive staff, his teammates,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said Wednesday when asked where he sees a difference in Claypool.
“And then, most importantly, Justin. I think that relationship is always the most important — the quarterback/receiver relationship. I think all that’s improving. As far as his knowledge of what’s going on around him, that’s improving. Because we demand a lot of that position, as we’ve talked about here plenty of times. That’s a big part of what we do with that role. It’s been good to see him be able to take a step there.
“To say where he is now, obviously, he’s definitely in a much better place. That’s what’s most important. Like coach Flus and those guys have said, I think that his positivity, his optimism coming into this thing, and his attack and his approach to how he’s trying to learn this thing is really cool to see.”
The Bears wide receiver coach, Tyke Tolbert, said he was excited about Claypool was at.
The Packers saved themselves a headache
We’ll see where this situation ends up by the time training camp rolls around. Claypool should be back to practice in July. He will need to have a good season before contract negotiations next offseason. But it looks like the Bears saved the Packers a headache at the trade deadline last season by outbidding for Claypool.
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