After trading Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith, it was clear the Chicago Bears were in sell mode. Everything was about stacking future assets to rebuild the roster in 2023 and beyond. Then GM Ryan Poles hatched a surprise. Barely 24 hours after shipping Smith to Baltimore, he turned around and secured wide receiver Chase Claypool from Pittsburgh. The third-year receiver had two productive seasons in 2020 and 2021 but had fallen out of favor this season as George Pickens emerged. Rather than let things continue, the Steelers decided to give both sides a fresh start.
Claypool is 24 years old with 6’4 size and 4.4 speed. He is the type of talent the Bears haven’t had at wide receiver since Alshon Jeffery left a few years ago. There are concerns about maturity issues. Still, he’s stayed out of trouble this season and has plenty of room to grow. The Bears control his rights through 2023 and have more than enough cap space to give him an extension. Yet the best part of all this might be that they stole him out from under the Green Bay Packers’ noses.
Reports indicate the Bears’ rivals offered a 2nd round pick for the wide receiver. That compelled Poles to offer his too. Pittsburgh felt the odds were better than Chicago’s would end up higher, so the Bears got the nod. The reaction from Packers fans was, shall we say, animated.
This is the funniest Packers season of all-time
— PackersHistory.com (@PackersHistory1) November 1, 2022
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Aaron Rodgers to the Packers front office. pic.twitter.com/rhU6Nn21uC
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) November 1, 2022
Packers what are you DOING
— trawn (@trawntogether) November 1, 2022
@packers fire gute now
— FIRE GUTE (@spurstankszn) November 1, 2022
NOW THIS IS UNREAL!
Someone, anyone wake up the Packers. https://t.co/dsK10cjwHx— Bill Michaels (@Bill_Michaels) November 1, 2022
Really… you can't make this &%$# up!!! https://t.co/AfImEXPFD1
— Mike Heller (@HellerSports) November 1, 2022
FUCK.
THE .
PACKERS.
Seriously, can they just get a professional in the building? https://t.co/7BgD0S3FkT
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) November 1, 2022
— Rob Lowe’s Hat (@JuicemanJoe41) November 1, 2022
— Brett Hartwig (@BrettHartwig) November 1, 2022
Who did this pic.twitter.com/G6Wn4zr3pb
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) November 1, 2022
NFC North #TradeDeadline recap: pic.twitter.com/F5JGKi0noQ
— 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞🧀 (@MkeBrewMike) November 1, 2022
If nabbing Chase Claypool makes them miserable, it was worth it.
The Packers have had a rough time throwing the ball this season. Despite having Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they’re ranked a distant 22nd in passing this season. Rodgers has crossed 250 yards only twice in eight games. It is a massive part of why Green Bay is 3-5 and in danger of notching their first losing record under head coach Matt Lafleur. The fact it comes in what many expected to be a Super Bowl-or-bust season makes it even worse.
Rodgers even admitted he’d hoped the team would make a move to help him. Failing to do so probably didn’t help his relationship with the front office. Don’t forget this comes mere months after they traded superstar Davante Adams to Las Vegas. Chase Claypool may not be at that same level, but he’d have been a significant improvement over almost anything the Packers have. Instead, they’ll have to face him later this season when they visit Soldier Field.
Random Erik Facts: I played the flute in high school and I dated my TA in college.
Chicago is a tiktok team now.
Who are these Packers you speaketh of?
The worst move for the Packers was after trading Adams they lost two other receivers. It’s a slap in the face for Rodgers because only one drafted receiver can help this year. The Packers are done!
I have one word for the packer fans E-x-l-a-x.