Chase Claypool, Eddie Jackson get into fight at Bears practice
There were some fireworks as the Chicago Bears went through their ninth day of training camp. Two players got into a small fight, and it appears general manager Ryan Poles was there to help settle things down.
As Chase Claypool went out of bounds, safety Eddie Jackson hit him. That’s when Claypool grabbed Jackson by the helmet and proceeded to throw it about 20 yards away. The altercation didn’t last long, according to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns.
As tensions rose, though, Poles stepped in to help calm both players down, according to Bear Report’s Zack Pearson. NBC Sports Chicago’s Alex Shapiro added Poles spoke with Jackson since the day turned more physical than the others.
The Bears are preparing for a huge season — Poles’ second as general manager and Year 2 for Matt Eberflus as head coach. Justin Fields is looking to take a leap in his third season as a pro and his second entering the year as the starting quarterback.
It will also mark Claypool’s first year with the Bears after coming over in a mid-season trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s had an interesting offseason getting acclimated, spending less than 24 hours on the PUP list before Chicago activated him as training camp started. Rumors also swirled about his work ethic, but Poles and others have debunked those claims.
Why 2023 is so important for Justin Fields and the Bears
Fields appears to have more help than he did in 2021 or 2022, though, as Chicago went out and acquired wide receiver DJ Moore in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Moore joins Claypool, who was acquired last season, and Darnell Mooney in the wide receiver room. In addition, former Tennessee star Darnell Wright joins the offensive line after the Bears selected him No. 10 overall in the draft and Nate Davis came in from free agency. Chicago also extended tight end Cole Kmet and added Marcedes Lewis via free agency earlier this week.
With so many additions, expectations are high for Fields. In fact, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said the former Ohio State star could reach an MVP caliber of play in 2023.
“He’s going to play MVP-level football,” Orlovsky said on First Take. “I have felt that since the DJ Moore trade happened.”
Poles didn’t just add to the offense, though. Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards were two of the biggest free agent additions, and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue signed with Chicago earlier this week. It’s beginning to look like a new roster for the Bears, whose 3-14 record was the worst in the NFL in 2022.