The Bears have began their run with some expectations that are much higher than last season. General Manager Ryan Poles and Head Coach Matt Eberflus have brought in many talented players from free agency and through the draft that will helps the Bears moving forward. It was a roster that needed some talent and when they take the field you will see the difference. There are a few players that I have been keeping an eye on at camp. One of these players are in a contract year and have a ton to prove and two others that are draft picks that would not surprise me if they are day one starters.
The first player I want to talk about is wide receiver, Chase Claypool. The veteran was traded to Chicago during the middle of the season last year for a second-round pick. A player that Ryan Poles is taking a chance on since he traded the top pick of the second round. Claypool has all the talent in the world to be a very productive player and help quarterback, Justin Fields. During his rookie season, he posted 11 touchdowns with Pittsburgh but ever since, the numbers and productivity has gone down. Yes, Claypool came in at a weird time last season and learning the new playbook is difficult. Yet, questions still remain about his lack of motivation and being a team player. I look for him to take a big step and try to get to where he was during his rookie year. The Bears already have two solid wide receivers in DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney. Adding a productive Claypool will help the offense a ton.
The next player I am keeping my eye on is the second-round draft pick from this past draft cornerback out of Miami, Tyrique Stevenson. This is a draft pick that Ryan Poles moved up to grab. The Bears have not been able to put together a good duo at cornerback for some time. Hopefully Stevenson can help change that. The rookie has all the intangibles to get the starting job. Corners are not very tall and surprisingly Tyrique is a good size. During OTAs, there were rave reviews about him and his playmaking ability. So far so good in the early stages of camp.
The third and final player is former Florida Gator, Grevon Dexter that plays defensive line. Dextor was also a second-round pick this past draft. Grevon is a big body but can move with the best of them. Along with Stevenson, Dexter has had a lot of high praise. Another position on the Bears where they hav been pretty weak since Akheim Hicks was in Chicago. Dextor can be a guy that can plug the hole but do not be surprised if he gets after the quarterback.
There will be a lot of buzz these next six weeks at Halas Hall with the additions they have made and optimism around the organization. It’s going to be fun as camp continues to roll on.