After staying healthy in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears receiver Chase Claypool will not be with the team this week as it prepares for its “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Washington Commanders prepared, coach Matt Eberflus said on Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Eberflus told Claypool not to come to the facility this week. “We thought it was best for the team,” he said.
- The team asked Claypool not to attend Sunday’s game, which Chicago lost 31-28.
- Claypool, who Chicago acquired for a second-round pick at last season’s trade deadline, has 18 receptions in 10 games with the Bears.
How we got here
Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles both called Claypool on Saturday to tell him he would not be active against the Broncos. Eberflus would not say how Claypool reacted to the news.
“We’ll leave it there,” Eberflus said Monday. “It’s between me and him.”
Eberflus said he and the Poles also called Claypool early Monday to let him know he would be staying home for the week while the Bears prepared for the Washington Commanders game at Halas Hall. Claypool will not take part in the game.
“I would just say we thought it was best for the team,” Eberflus said.
He repeated this message several times during his press conference.
“I would say what we think is best for the team. And how we act here as a football team. The Chicago Bears. When I came here on the first day I talked about being on time, being respectful and working hard. This is important to me for every individual – be it an employee, a player or a coach. That’s where we are. We feel this is the best decision for us at this time.”
On Friday, Claypool said he didn’t think the Bears put him in the best position to utilize his skills.
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“I wouldn’t say it’s not an ideal place for me,” Claypool said. “Of course there are other places too. You can say, “Oh, I want to be on the best offense with the highest passing yards.” But that doesn’t happen in football. You just have to be content with what you have.”
There’s more to Claypool’s replacement and inevitable departure than just what he said last week about his coaches. Eberflus said he did not respond to Claypool’s statement. Instead, Eberflus was more interested in what was happening — or not happening — in meetings, tours and exercises with Claypool.
“We have a standard for that; We have standards for that,” said Eberflus. “And if these standards are met, everything is good. If not, then it’s not.”
Claypool was heavily criticized earlier this season after clips from Chicago’s Week 1 game appeared to show Claypool barely attempting to block or run routes against the Green Bay Packers. Claypool later apologized to his teammates.
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(Photo: Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)