The Pittsburgh Steelers made a difficult decision this past season to trade Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their second-round pick. Ultimately, the Steelers were able to land their perennial top cornerback of the future Joey Porter Jr. with the selection. While it will take years to fully determine who "won" the actual trade, the recent reports out of Chicago may sway things in favor of the Steelers.
Justin K. Aller / Getty Images
Former Steelers WR, Chase Claypool
Marc Silverman, during a recent episode of the Waddle and Silvy radio show, detailed how the former Steelers wide receiver has been woefully underwhelming this offseason.
"I have heard from a few people in that building that he is not somebody who is very self-motivated. All I can tell you is that it isn't trending in a way that the Bears have wanted it to trend this offseason," Silverman said.
The Steelers Made The Right Call In Moving On From Claypool
There is no denying how immensely talented Claypool is, as the former Notre Dame standout was highly productive during his first season with the Steelers. During his rookie campaign, he hauled in 62 receptions for 873 yards and 11 total touchdowns, including a four-touchdown game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Needless to say, many Steelers fans were expecting Claypool to be the next great receiver for the team. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Claypool was respectable in his second year, catching 59 passes for 860 yards. However, his scoring production dropped significantly, as he was only able to find the end zone twice in 2021. During 2022, it became increasingly evident where he stood in the receiver room, as 2022 second-round pick, George Pickens provided the big-moment plays that the organization was hoping to get out of Claypool. Once the Steelers knew they had struck gold in Pickens, the decision to trade Claypool was an easy one, especially given the amount of capital they were given in return.
AP PHOTO / MATT DURISKO
Steelers WR, George Pickens Quickly Established Himself As The WR2 Behind Diontae Johnson In 2022
Claypool's Struggles May Continue In 2023
As Silverman points out, the Bears are undoubtedly counting on Claypool to turn things around and be a meaningful contributor in 2023.
"Chase Claypool is a guy that they've wanted to see some things from. They have not been able to see those things from him both on and off the field. All those things don't sound great for Claypool going in to training camp," Silverman described.
The Bears' offense is poised to be much improved this upcoming season with the ascension of quarterback Justin Fields as well as the acquisition of former Carolina Panthers' wide receiver, DJ Moore. However, if the Claypool situation continues to spiral downward, the Bears may call upon other playmakers to step up in place.
Considering how poorly Claypool played for the Bears in 2022, the reports of him not showing signs of progression is especially worrisome for a team that has aspirations of competing for an NFC North title in 2023. During his seven games in Chicago last season, the former second-round pick only had 140 receiving yards and 14 catches. That's a whopping two catches per game average. Not exactly what the team's front office had in mind when they decided to bring him in.
Seth Wenig / AP
Bears WR, Chase Claypool Struggled To Make Plays In 2022
At only 24 years old, Claypool still has plenty of time to prove his worth as a valuable wide receiver for a Bears' offense that is in desperate need of difference-makers. He certainly showed flashes of his potential during his tenure in Pittsburgh but was ultimately not able to be consistent enough for the team to trust in him as a long-term answer for the position.
All in all, the Bears are still hoping to receive at least some sort of return on investment for the deal they made with the Steelers. While it may be premature to crown Omar Khan as a mastermind for swapping an unreliable pass catcher for a player of Porter's caliber, fans should be happy the move was made in 2022. Best of luck with Claypool, Bears' fans. He's your problem now.
Thoughts, Steeler Nation?
What do Yinz make of the reports of Claypool struggling to impress in Chicago? Do you think he will bounce back for the Bears in 2023? How excited are you to watch Porter suit up in black and gold? Let us know in the comments!
#SteelerNation
