Three games have come and gone since Chase Claypool joined the Chicago Bears. A lot of fans are upset with how things have progressed. The young wide receiver has five catches for 32 yards. That is not the production people hoped for when GM Ryan Poles sent a 2nd round pick to Pittsburgh for him. Some wonder if he’s struggling to pick up the offense. Others believe he suffers from problems that hampered him with the Steelers. It is typical for people to put a microscope on all the little things that could be wrong.
The reality is far simpler. Chicago just isn’t throwing the ball a lot. Through the first ten games of 2022, the average number of passing attempts among starting quarterbacks is 348. Justin Fields sits at 228. Since Claypool arrived, he’s thrown 69 passes or an average of 23 per game. Over that span, Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet have eaten up 34 of those targets. That leaves 35 for everybody else. Claypool only saw five passes thrown his way over the past two weeks. It’s hard to make plays when you’re not being given opportunities.
It isn’t a surprise Fields hasn’t gone his way a lot. His connection with Mooney and Kmet is far stronger because they’ve played together longer.
Chase Claypool has no control over the ball coming his way.
There have been multiple instances where he was open, but Fields failed to hit him. Multiple receivers rarely thrive when the quarterback doesn’t throw the ball a lot. Look at Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson for reminders. Vick didn’t produce a 1,000-yard receiver until his eighth season. Jackson didn’t do it until his fourth. It often takes run-first quarterbacks a long time to become more comfortable as passers. Fields faces the same challenges. Until he trusts his eyes on pass plays more, his receivers won’t get a ton of looks.
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Everybody wants Chase Claypool to play better. That includes the guy who traded for him. This isn’t a talent issue or a lack of familiarity with the system. Chicago won’t know what they have at wide receiver until they’re willing to throw the ball more. That falls to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and his trust in the offensive line. Their inadequate pass protection plays a big role in this as well. Unfortunately, the Bears may not get Claypool more established until next season. Until then, they can only keep giving him snaps.
