Fields’ ‘resilience’ making an early impression on Claypool originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chase Claypool has only been a Bear for a month, but the third-year wide receiver already has immense respect for quarterback Justin Fields.
The second-year signal caller was inactive for last Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets with a separated shoulder. Fields is hopeful he can return to the field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, but he’ll only do so if he feels he can help the Bears snap their five-game losing streak.
Fields’ ability and willingness to go through pain resonated with Claypool early in his tenure with the Bears.
“I’m seeing the kind of resilience you don’t get from every quarterback, you know?” Claypool said Wednesday. “He’s getting beaten up and he’s coming back every time. I think that just shows the kind of leader he is because he wants to see his team win and do well and he knows he’s a big part of that, but he also knows he has to be smart. There’s a give and take with that.”
Claypool had his best game as a Bears on Sunday in a loss to the Jets. The Notre Dame product caught two passes for 51 yards at MetLife Stadium, including a 33-yard catch over Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner.
With four games under his belt in the Bears’ offense, Claypool feels like he’s settling into offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s system.
“I just think about time with the offense, you get familiar with things,” Claypool said. “You don’t have to think as much when it comes to your rosters and your assignments, things like that. And then the timing.”
Not having to think is the critical part.
“I feel like if you’re thinking too much, you might be looking for clues as to what you have,” Claypool said. “You’re not 100 percent sure. But if you know exactly what you’ve got and where you’re going, you can start looking at the defense and thinking about what you’re going to do.”
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While Fields remains limited in practice, Claypool insists the Bears’ quarterback uncertainty doesn’t affect how wide receivers prepare each week.
That said, the reviews of Fields’ Wednesday practice were positive.
“It looked great,” Claypool said. “It looked great.”
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