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The NFL trade deadline came to a conclusion yesterday at 4:00 PM ET. One of the biggest trades happened when the Chicago Bears acquired Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bears acquired Claypool in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Steelers reportedly had a second-round pick offer from the Green Bay Packers. Pittsburgh took the Bears' pick with the assumption that their draft-pick would be higher next season. NFL insider Josina Anderson confirmed that it looked like Claypool was joining the Packers, but the Bears swooped in with the same offer. Anderson Tweeted:
"Told ya'll. As of this morning it was looking like Chase was a Packer, as reported....that's why 'finalizing' and 'closing in on' 'working on' ain't officially final!"
The Bears and Packers are both currently 3-5, but the Packers are expected to end the season with more wins. It will be interesting to see if this is the case and if the Steelers made the right choice.
Chase Claypool's contract
The Bears currently have Claypool under contract for a season and a half. Following the trade, the Bears will only take on $673,000 of cap space for the rest of the 2022 campaign. Next season, he carries a $1.5 million cap hit, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the 2024 offseason.
The Steelers will take on $1.1 million in dead cap for the season and only $593,000 next offseason which will save them $1.5 million in cap space. Claypool was taken in the second-round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Steelers. As a rookie, he recorded 62 receptions, 873 yards, and nine touchdowns. In 2021, he recorded 59 receptions, 860 yards, and two touchdowns.
Through seven games with the Steelers this season, Chase Claypool has recorded 28 receptions for 266 yards and a touchdown. The Bears' leading receiver is Darnell Mooney with 364 yards, but he doesn't have a receiving touchdown. Next up is Equanimeous St. Brown, who has 164 yards. Claypool now joins the Bears, providing quarterback Justin Fields with a receiving option in a run-heavy offense.
