Steelers Trade Wide Receiver Chase Claypool to Bears

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick on Tuesday, ESPN reported. Claypool was rumored to be on the trade block for the past couple of weeks, and with the Steelers losing six of their last seven games, the team decided to go into "sell" mode.

The Bears traded their own second-round pick to the Steelers, not the second-round pick they acquired from the Baltimore Ravens, NFL Media reported.

"I think he's a very talented player," analyst Joe Banner of The 33rd Team said about Claypool. "He knows how to get open. He's got great hands. He's physical, and he can block."

The Bears, who traded two of their top defenders over the last week, are finally attempting to get some help for quarterback Justin Fields. Claypool should provide that, based on his 2022 production. He has 32 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown while averaging 9.7 yards per catch this season. For his career, Claypool has 153 catches, 2,044 yards receiving and 12 receiving touchdowns — nine of which came during his rookie season in 2020.

"After trading Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn, this trade signals to players on the Bears' roster that management is not giving up on the season, that 2022 means something, and there is hope," said analyst T.J. McCreight of The 33rd Team.

The acquisition of Claypool should provide a boost to the Bears' receiving room. Darnell Mooney is the only receiver on the team with more than 300 yards receiving this season, and the next closest is Equanimeous St. Brown, who has just 164 yards.

Analyst Robert Smith of The 33rd Team thinks the move to acquire Claypool adds a new dimension to the Bears offense.

"Mooney was the top target this year, nothing against him, but you need somebody who can be an absolute go-to playmaker," Smith said.

"Now you have that go-to threat as a wide receiver — nothing but positive things for Chicago and Justin Fields," Smith added later.

Claypool was selected in the second round (49th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. His pre-draft status was elevated after the 6-foot-4-inch, 238-pounder ran a blazing 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.

Clearly, the Bears believe the potential he showed is for real.