Ryan Poles deserves flak for the Chase Claypool trade last year. It has easily been one of the worst this franchise has endured for the past decade. However, the Chicago Bears GM also deserves credit for knowing when to move on. He’s also developing a reputation for being able to squeeze trade value from players they shouldn’t have any. That was proven last year with Robert Quinn and has become true again. Chicago has managed to trade Claypool and a 7th round pick in 2025 for a 6th round pick in 2025 from the Miami Dolphins.
The fact Chicago got anything for him is a victory, even if it’s a small one. Claypool had zero value in the eyes of many. He’d managed only 191 yards and a touchdown in ten games with the Bears. This wasn’t from lack of target. They threw his way 43 times over that span. Unfortunately, he only caught 18 of those passes. His effort was constantly called into question, both receiving and blocking. His accusation that the coaching staff wasn’t using him properly proved the final straw.
It’s not like the Bears were trying to freeze him out. Quarterback Justin Fields was a constant supporter in the locker room and the media. Coaches never badmouthed him. They tried to accommodate his talents. He just didn’t bother returning the favor by playing hard. His effort and lack of attention to detail were constant headaches that made life much harder than it needed to be for the offense. Is it a coincidence they scored 28 and 40 points, respectively, the moment he got benched?
Addition by subtraction is often a real thing in sports. For all his talent, Chase Claypool has proven he is better off away from a team than on it. In 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 15 points per game with him on the field. After he was traded, that jumped to 20 points per game. In ten games, the Bears averaged 15 points. After he got benched, that jumped to 34 points. Small sample size or not, it’s clear the organization isn’t sad to see him go.
