GM Ryan Poles isn’t messing around. He gutted the defense with two big trades this past week, shipping out Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn for 2nd, 4th, and 5th round picks. Now he’s shifted in the other direction. Justin Fields badly needs offensive weapons. The Chicago Bears finally came through, sending one of their 2nd round picks to the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool. It is a massive move given this team’s needs.
Claypool is an exceedingly talented player. Not only is he 6’4, but he runs with above-average speed. He expressed frustration over the past year about not getting enough action in the passing game. That wasn’t helped when Pittsburgh drafted George Pickens in the spring. That made his departure all but inevitable. He has one year left on his rookie contract and is only 24 years old. This is a building block the Bears badly needed for their offense. He and Darnell Mooney can form a formidable tandem.
BREAKING: The Bears are trading for Steelers WR Chase Claypool, per source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 1, 2022
Comp update: Bears traded a second-round pick for WR Chase Claypool, per source. https://t.co/eH6UEidGh9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2022
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
The #Steelers are receiving the #Bears original second-round pick for Chase Claypool, source said. Not the pick the #Ravens pick.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 1, 2022
Chase Claypool to the BEARS 🚨
(per @FieldYates, via @NFLUK)pic.twitter.com/RIc1WBVmkQ— Overtime (@overtime) November 1, 2022
Justin Fields should be much happier.
People have questioned Claypool over the past two years. Despite quarterback problems in 2020 and 2021, he still has 1,171 yards and three touchdowns on 155 targets. The primary gripes with him stem from last year when he drew questions of immaturity over how he handled not getting the ball enough. It led to a clash with head coach Mike Tomlin. To his credit, the receiver has stayed out of trouble this season even as the Steelers suffer through their worst losing spell in well over a decade.
Nobody should be happier about this than Justin Fields. He desperately needs credible targets in the passing game. Claypool fits the bill. He’s still very young and presents the kind of giant target a young quarterback can grow to love. It also should take a ton of pressure off Mooney. Defenses have been able to key on him for weeks with nobody else stepping up. Claypool’s arrival should change that.
