Ever since the Bears traded a second-round draft pick for Chase Claypool, the wide receiver has been under scrutiny. Now, one week into his first full season with Chicago, he is in danger of being benched altogether. Asked Wednesday if Claypool could be replaced on the Bears' active game-day roster following a polarizing Week 1 performance, coach Matt Eberflus didn't rule it out.
"We're looking at all possibilities right now," Eberflus said, per the Chicago Tribune. "I'm not going to talk about who's going to be up or down for the game for obvious reasons. We're looking at all things to make our team better."
The coach's comments were specifically in response to a question about whether Claypool could be deactivated in favor of Equanimeous St. Brown, who was a healthy scratch for the Bears' season-opening loss to the Packers. Chicago returns to the field on Sunday for a Week 2 matchup with the Buccaneers, who upset the NFC North's Vikings in their season opener.
Claypool, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, opened 2023 as one of the team's top wide receivers, alongside new addition D.J. Moore, but didn't record a catch against Green Bay. His blocking also drew criticism on social media, with Eberflus acknowledging he addressed the apparent struggles with Claypool after the game.
It's been a bumpy road for the wideout in Windy City. A second-round pick of the Steelers in 2020, the Notre Dame product started hot in Pittsburgh, topping 850 yards and scoring nine touchdowns as a rookie. Just two-and-a-half years into his Steelers career, however, he was dealt to the Bears at 2022's in-season trade deadline, totaling just 14 catches in his seven-game Bears debut.
