Luke Getsy has done a tremendous job manufacturing a productive offense for the Chicago Bears in his first year. Much of it stems from mastering the unique athletic ability of quarterback Justin Fields. By embracing elements of the Baltimore Ravens offense that made Lamar Jackson a star, he’s made this unit effective. However, it has come at a price. Former quarterback Trent Dilfer explained when discussing the slow start of recent trade acquisition Chase Claypool on 670 The Score. Some wonder if the big wide receiver is having trouble digesting the new system. That isn’t the case.
There is nothing complicated about the Bears’ passing attack. If anything, it is one of the easiest in the league to absorb. The problem is Getsy’s unwillingness to ease up the number of designed quarterback runs. Chicago is so dedicated to running the football that they aren’t letting Fields throw it beyond 20 times per game. That is by far the fewest of any quarterbacks in the NFL. It’s hard to get a wide receiver going when you’re not working on getting him the ball. Until that changes, the Bears will have problems luring any respectable wide receivers to Chicago.
Chase Claypool may be at the mercy of the Bears’ offensive line.
One of the popular reasons people believe Getsy refuses to throw the ball more is because he doesn’t trust the offensive line to pass protect effectively. In straight pass drops this season without the benefit of play action or extra blockers, the Bears’ offensive line has allowed 73 pressures. That ranks dead last in the NFL. Atlanta had the fewest sacks in football going into Sunday. They came out with four on Fields. That should give you an idea of how bad the situation is up front. Their center is a backup. Both the right guard and right tackle were castoffs from other teams. It is a mess.
Make no mistake. The Bears probably want to get Chase Claypool going as much as anybody. They traded for him for a reason. It is a simple fact this offense isn’t constructed to throw the ball 30 times per game. GM Ryan Poles needs time to find guys that can pass protect. That may have to wait until the 2023 off-season. Until then, Getsy is stuck with this offense as it is. Some creativity will be needed if they want to get Claypool more involved.
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