Chicago Bears trade Chase Claypool to Miami Dolphins
Chase Claypool, the disgruntled Chicago Bears receiver, is headed to the Dolphins in a swap of low-round draft picks.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported the news, quoting unidentified league sources. She said the Dolphins are sending the Bears a 2025 sixth-round pick for Claypool. The Bears are also sending the Dolphins a seventh-round draft pick from 2025 as part of the deal.
Claypool is the former Notre Dame star. The Steelers selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Then Pittsburgh sent Claypool to the Bears last November in exchange for the Bears’ second-round pick in April’s draft. The Steelers then used the pick — the 32nd overall — to select cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
The trade certainly wasn’t surprising. The Bears listed Claypool as inactive for the past two games, so he didn’t play in Chicago’s 40-20 victory over the Commanders, Thursday, which ended the team’s 14-game losing streak. Bears management told Claypool, Monday, that he wouldn’t be playing and asked him to stay away from the team.
Overall, Chase Claypool played 10 games with the Bears. He caught 18 passes for 191 yards after being targeted 43 times.
“I think Chase is going to learn from this situation, we all will, and I wish him luck moving forward throughout his career,” Chicago GM Ryan Poles said in a pregame interview Thursday on ESPN radio.
Bears fans started criticizing Claypool’s attitude after the Packers game to kick off the season. Three weeks later, the receiver said he didn’t believe the Bears coaches were putting him in a position to do well.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirmed the trade. He said the Bears started looking for takers last week.
Claypool caught 62 and 59 passes his first two seasons with the Steelers. Meanwhile, the Dolphins, under coach Mike McDaniel, have one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the two best Dolphins receivers.
After the news broke, the Dolphins confirmed the trade.