After suffering a healthy scratch 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, coach Matt Eberflus said Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Eberflus told Claypool not to visit the facility this week. “We thought it was best for the team,” he said.
- The team asked Claypool not to attend Sunday’s game in Chicago’s 31-28 loss.
- Claypool, acquired by Chicago for a second-round pick at last season’s trade deadline, has 18 receptions in 10 games with the Bears.
How we got here
Both Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles called Claypool on Saturday to inform him he would not be active against the Broncos.Eberflus would not say how Claypool reacted to the news.
“We’ll keep it there,” Eberfluss said Monday. “It’s between me and him.”
Eberfluss said he and Boles called Claypool early Monday to say he would be home during the week while the Bears prepared for the Washington Commanders at Halas Hall. Claypool is not played in the game.
“We thought it was best for the team,” Eberfluss said.
He repeated that message several times during his press conference.
“I would say what we think is best for the team. That’s how we operate here as a football team. The Chicago Bears. When I got here the first day, I talked about being on time, being respectful and working hard. That’s important to me for every individual — it’s an employee, As a player or a coach, we are there. We feel now that this is the best decision for us.
On Friday, Claypool said he didn’t feel the Bears put him in the best position to take advantage of his talent.
Go deeper
The Bears’ future is in question with Chase Claypool, who was sidelined on Sunday
“I wouldn’t say it wasn’t the right place for me,” Claypool said. “Obviously, there are other places. You can say, ‘Oh, I want to be in the best offense with the highest passing yards.’ But that doesn’t happen in football. You have to pay with what you got.”
Claypool’s benching and inevitable departure is more than what he said about his coaches last week. Eberfluss said there was no reaction to what Claypool said. Instead, Eberfluss was more curious about what happened — or didn’t happen — in meetings, walks and practices with Claypool.
“We have a standard for that; We have standards for that,” Eberfluss said. “If those standards are met, everything is fine. If it isn’t, it isn’t.
Claypool was widely criticized earlier this season, with clips from Chicago’s Week 1 game showing Claypool not trying to block or run routes against the Green Bay Packers. Claypool later apologized to his teammates.
Go deeper
The Broncos come back at the Bears and spoil Fields’ career day
Required reading
(Photo: Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
