Bears HC Matt Eberflus hints at Chase Claypool being healthy scratch after Week 1 struggles

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t rule out the possibility Wednesday of receiver Chase Claypool being a healthy scratch for Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday.

“We’re looking at all possibilities right now,” Eberflus said Wednesday, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “I’m not going to talk about who’s going to be up or down for the game right now, for obvious reasons. We’re looking at all things to make our team better — who’s going to be up and who’s going to be down in terms of the active roster.”

Claypool struggled in the 38-20 Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday, registering zero receptions on two targets. Beyond just the box score, Claypool’s effort on multiple blocks on the perimeter was subpar, further hindering Chicago’s offense. Claypool received a 43.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, his worst grade since entering the league in 2020.

Eberflus acknowledged those missed blocks, saying everyone needed to improve in that area.

“You all saw the plays that… and again, the perimeter blocking needed to improve for all of us,” Eberflus said. “And we’re gonna get that, work hard to get that done.”

The Bears acquired Claypool last season from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In eight games (four starts) in Chicago, he’s hauled in just 14 receptions for 140 yards and zero touchdowns.

Matt Eberflus says Chase Claypool’s struggles not injury-related

Eberflus added that Claypool’s struggles weren’t injured-related. The 25-year-old wideout injured his hamstring in August and visited the blue medical tent twice against Green Bay.

Should Claypool be inactive for Week 2 against Tampa Bay, fellow receiver Equanimeous St. Brown could be a candidate to get called up. St. Brown, known for his blocking, was a healthy scratch in Week 1. Bears quarterback Justin Fields praised St. Brown for his blocking prowess.

“He’s a great run-blocker for us,” Fields said. “He always has been since last year and he knows the playbook like the back of his hand. He’s really smart. I think he’s a leader in the receiver room. So just that part. Perimeter blocking, he’s really good at that. I think that’s probably one thing that we missed. I don’t really make those calls, so not really a question for me.”