The Bears got much-needed wide receiver help for Justin Fields from an unlikely source. Chicago landed another field-stretching playmaker in a trade for Chase Claypool from Pittsburgh.
The Steelers wanted to move Claypool, given they are locked into Diontae Johnson as an expensive No. 1 wideout and have rookies George Pickens and Calvin Austin III headed for more prominent roles in the near future. He also frustrated the team with his inconsistency as a receiver, despite his big-play ability.
Claypool had a strong advocate in offensive coordinator Matt Canada, but he accepted the Steelers needed to move forward with other complementary weapons for rookie QB Kenny Pickett.
Sporting News hands out the trade grades for both the Steelers and the Bears below.
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Chase Claypool trade grades
Bears receive:
- WR Chase Claypool
Steelers receive:
- Bears’ 2023 second-round draft pick
Bears grade: A-
Claypool isn’t meant to be a No. 1 wide receiver and won’t need to be in Chicago. Speedy Darnell Mooney remains the clear-cut go-to guy downfield for Fields, but now he gets someone to deflect attention away in deep coverage.
The Bears had been trying to make it work with retreads such as Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis and N’Keal Harry. But now they have Claypool to raise the speed quotient along with Mooney and rookie Velus Jones Jr., who will become a bigger factor in Year 2. Claypool can operate well outside but he has some versatility as a unique big slot, too.
The Bears already got an extra second-rounder in the Roquan Smith trade with another AFC North team, the Ravens. So parting with one for the Steelers was rather cheap from their perspective, even though that might be a little high in terms of compensation.
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Steelers grade: A
The Steelers took Claypool with the No. 49 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 draft. They had to be pleased to flip him for similar draft capital when he wasn’t really in their passing game plans with Pickett.
Pittsburgh is now looking at having three picks in the top 50 overall in 2023. Given the team’s draft acumen, it is bound to be a different kind of impact player to help the hastened rebuild.
