NFL fans ripped Bears WR Chase Claypool for completely mailing it in during Week 1

Amidst a 38-20 blowout loss to their biggest rival, it’ll be hard to find much of any legitimate bright spots for the Chicago Bears. In fact, finding one of the handful of players who showed out well is probably more about seeking a hollow moral victory in a bleak outcome.

That said, veteran receiver Chase Claypool might have legitimately been the worst — or at least, the laziest — player on the field Sunday.

Not only did Claypool record zero catches for zero yards on two targets, but he was also the supposed lynchpin of an offensive game plan centered around receiver screens. And he failed, consistently, with some of the more lackluster blocking “attempts” you’ll see from any receiver in open space all season. No wonder the Bears’ offense never really got going.

Here are just a few examples of Claypool’s halfhearted routes and blocks, courtesy of The Messenger’s Mike Renner:

Pick 32 https://t.co/T1WJdH6s5c pic.twitter.com/MB636VIaov

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) September 11, 2023

Oof. At least he’s really good at selling flops, though!

Chase Claypool pulled a Marcus Smart pic.twitter.com/FIqzPMUtJi

— m (@downbadbears) September 10, 2023

It’s one thing to get outexecuted by the opponent, especially against a Green Bay Packers defense with eight first-round picks when healthy. But most of these plays look like Claypool is sleepwalking, playing at half-speed in a full-speed meaningful game.

Oh well. At least the Bears didn’t trade something like the No. 32 overall pick in a draft for Claypool or anything. Oh. Oh, right. They did. Oops. That trade looks demonstrably worse by the day.