Claypool had just 18 catches in 10 games as a Bear.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
The Bears traded disgruntled wide receiver Chase Claypool on Friday morning, ending the tension of having him on the roster but keeping him out of the building and away from the team.
The Bears sent him to the Dolphins in a deal that includes a swap of draft picks in 2025. The Bears get the Dolphins’ sixth-rounder that year, and the Dolphins get the Bears’ pick in the seventh.
Nothing good came of Bears general manager Ryan Poles trading for Claypool last November, and the deal is his worst mistake. At least now the team can move forward without the situation hanging over Halas Hall. Poles sent the Steelers a second-round pick for him that ultimately was No. 32 overall in the draft this year. The Steelers took cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from Penn State.
Claypool managed 14 catches for 140 yards and no touchdowns in seven games last season after the trade, and while the Bears repeatedly defended his performance, it took a contract extension off the table going into the offseason. Turns out, that was a good thing for the Bears.
Poles said in February he needed “to see more” from Claypool before committing to him long term, but instead, he saw less — of everything. In a contract year, with tens of millions of dollars at stake, Claypool had just four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown in the first three games and gave such an unacceptable effort in the opener against the Packers that he had to apologize to the team.
He didn’t truly turn it around after that, though, and the Bears made him inactive against the Broncos. Two days before the game, Claypool vented to the media that coaches were misusing him, but coach Matt Eberflus said that didn’t factor into benching him.
The Bears told him not to attend the Bears’ game against the Broncos at Soldier Field. On Monday they told him to stay away from Halas Hall altogether.
In an ESPN1000 interview that aired Thursday, Poles admitted defeat on the Steelers trade. The Bears knew of Claypool’s reputation but wanted to bet on his talent.
“You’re always disappointed in the situation, and it’s definitely something I take ownership of,” Poles said. “Last year in the situation we were in, we wanted to add another receiver to the offense, not only to help us be more productive but also to help [quarterback] Justin [Fields] take the next step. The right thought process was there, and I feel comfortable with that. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. And we were hoping for him to be a little bit more productive and be someone that could help us take it to the next level.”
Eberflus, whose coaching ethos is rooted in hard work and attention to detail, could have been declarative in explaining why, in his words, telling Claypool to stay away was in the Bears’ best interest. Instead, he steered away from specifics to the point of sending mixed messages. He said Sunday that Claypool stayed away from Soldier Field by his own accord, then the team had to clarify that the Bears told him not to come to the Broncos game.
Claypool, 25, got his wish of going to a high-powered passing attack. With Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, the Dolphins lead the NFL in points and yards passing. However, Claypool might run into similar frustration about his role given that they have star wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
