Pittsburgh Steelers fans tried to warn Chicago Bears fans when their respective teams traded back in 2022 that Chase Claypool can be a bit of a headache. The Bears originally acquired Claypool for a second-round pick, which ended up being the top pick of that round in 2023. Claypool dealt with injuries throughout the rest of the 2022 season, then was benched early on in the 2023 season. Ryan Poles was desperately looking for a trade partner for a couple weeks, but he finally found a taker.
Former Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool smirks as the looks towards one of his teammates on his new team, the Chicago Bears. | Photo Credit: Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times
The day after their Week 5 win on Thursday Night Football, it was reported that Claypool had been dealt to the Miami Dolphins for a late round pick swap. The Dolphins receive a seventh-round pick along with Claypool, while the Bears only receive a sixth-round pick. Both picks are in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Trade! The Chicago Bears are trading WR Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins, per league sources. It will be a 2025 6th from Miami for Claypool and a 2025 7th from Chicago. https://t.co/Rqt3k5LjPw
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 6, 2023
This is a low risk/high reward play for the Dolphins. If he can show the high-end talent that he displayed early on with the Steelers, then they got another talented receiver at a bargain price. If he's as much of a headache as he was with the Bears, then there's really nothing to worry about; they cut him or keep him as a healthy scratch and let his contract expire at season's end. Either way, the Dolphins don't lose much in this deal.
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Joey Porter Jr. attending the 2023 NFL Draft, where the Steelers selected him with the 32nd overall section which was the first pick of the second round.
How Did The Trade Work For The Steelers?
Meanwhile, the Steelers got a man that they believe will be the future of their cornerback core. Despite not getting much playing time so far, Joey Porter Jr. is expected to eventually lead the core as he slowly gets more and more playing time in the 2023 season. He was seen as a big, physical guy that could be the shutdown #1 corner that the Steelers have been looking for for a few years now.
Maya Giron / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan.
In fact, Mike Tomlin was so enamored with Porter that he wanted to draft him in the first round. Because of the trade with the Bears, the Steelers were able to go after another position of need and hold off on drafting Porter. If they didn't have pick 32, they most likely would have had to make a decision on drafting him or trading up to select Broderick Jones. Thanks to the trade, they were able to get both players while the Bears only have regret.
Claypool won't be able to play in Week 5 for the Dolphins, since the Bears already played in this week, but we'll see if he can return to form in Miami or if his time in the NFL is already over.
What do you think about the Chase Claypool trade for the Steelers, Bears, and Dolphins? Let us know in the comments.
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