Luke Getsy: Chase Claypool is definitely in a much better place - NBC Sports

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The Bears need quarterback Justin Fields to take another step in his development in 2023.

Though Chicago added a potential No. 1 target in D.J. Moore during the offseason, receiver Chase Claypool still figures to be a big factor in Fields’ success.

Claypool arrived in Chicago midway through the 2022 season and didn’t make much of an impact. In seven games with three starts, he recorded just 14 catches for 140 yards.

But offensive coordinator Luke Getsy noted he’s seen a difference in Claypool during the offseason program.

“I think comfortability within the building, whether that’s being around the head coach, being around us on the offensive staff, his teammates,” Getsy said Wednesday, via Josh Schrock of NBCSportsChicago.com. “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 [head coach Matt Eberflus] 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.”

Claypool caught 62 passes for 873 yards with nine touchdowns as a rookie and followed that with 59 receptions for 860 yards with two TDs in 2021. After trading a second-round pick for Claypool last year, the Bears would surely like to get that kind of production out of the receiver in 2023.

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