Claypool’s 2021 Stats with Steelers
Whether Claypool thinks he needs to prop his brand and be in the limelight is somewhat arguable. However, what is not debatable is his stats from 2021. They prove he did not have a great season and that he even went backward. In 2020 Claypool had 11 touchdowns and scored four in one game, putting him in the Steelers record books as a rookie.
In 2021 he only scored four touchdowns. His receiving yards dropped from 873 to 860. Given the fact JuJu Smith-Schuster missed most of the 2021 season, one would think Claypool would have made the best of it by becoming a reliable target for Big Ben. That never happened. The only improvement in his game was in the rushing department, where in 2021, he went from 16 rushing yards to 96 rushing yards. As a wide receiver, improving your rushing game is not a way to polish your resume. If the Steelers need rushing yards, they can give the ball to Najee Harris.
No wonder so many bloggers wrote articles suggesting various trade packages for Claypool. Honestly, another performance similar to his in 2021 could get the Steelers GM on the phone to see what they could get for him.
The Steelers in 2022 will need players to give 100% when they step on the field. If Claypool fails to do this, providing another lackluster performance, as the Steelers struggle to win even five games, do not expect Claypool to remain a Steelers player.