Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool has talked a lot about taking a leadership role on with the Steelers' WR room during Organized Team Activities (OTAs). He spoke to the media following a practice session at the 2022 Steelers' minicamp on Wednesday. He discusses the specifics of what he's been working on this offseason and playing in the slot for the Steelers' offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool (#11) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
"What are things that you felt you wanted to focus on the most to get ready for this year?"
"Yeah, I bought a jugs machine, put in my backyard, so I've been catching, trying to catch a couple of hundred every day, 200 every day. And then I got a Monarc at the field that we work out at." Claypool clarified for reporters what a Monarc is. "It's like an upgraded jugs machine. It's like a superhero version of a jugs machine."
Even faster? The reporter asked.
"Yeah, it's just like automatic. You have it quicker and then you can just shoot balls to yourself. So I've been working on deep balls a lot."
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool (#11) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Claypool discussed practicing in the slot:
"I think now that I'm in the slot, just working out, like figuring out what the linebackers are doing in their zone coverage and safeties and looking at them kind of while I'm running the route, so just recognizing zones in the slot."
He continued after being asked if playing slot is a different level of thinking than being on the outside:
"Yeah, when you're wide out, it's easier because it's corner safety basically tells you the coverage for the most part. When you're in the slot, if you have, like a rover or something, you have to figure out, you just have to figure out who's covering you maybe on the backside or if it's right in front of your face or something, so they disguise it a little more, I feel like when you're on the inside."
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool (#11) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I felt like when you had a lot of your bigger plays in your rookie season, especially against the [Philadelphia] Eagles, I felt like you were doing a lot more slot play that year because of availability. Is that true?"
"Yeah, that's why based on how things worked out, I couldn't be in the slot as much as I want to, or as much as they wanted me to be in the slot. So I just took it when I could get it. But now they're really moving me all around, so it's outside, slot, number three, and running back, too."
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) scores his forth touchdown of the game with Philadelphia Eagles free safety Rodney McLeod (23) defending, on a 35-yard pass play from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Don Wright)AP
For the record, the Eagles game from Claypool's rookie year that they are referring to, Claypool finished with 7 receptions, 110 yards, and 4 total touchdowns. It was definitely his "Arrived onto the scene" moment!
Check out the presser in its entirety here!
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