Chase Claypool Crashes in Chicago, Capsizes in Miami
To be completely fair, Claypool didn't even finish the 2022 season with the Steelers. The former second-round pick in 2020 had trouble catching, getting open, and blocking - basic things the Steelers, or any team, needs from a starting wide receiver in the NFL.
Despite a promising rookie season, Claypool was dealt to the Chicago Bears in a mid-season trade in 2022 that eventually gave the Steelers the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which they used on Joey Porter Jr. That trade worked out pretty well for the Steelers. The Bears regretted it almost instantly.
Understandably, Claypool struggled to catch on in a fairly substandard offense in Chicago. He caught 14 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown in three starts. Not great, but the Bears were at least hoping a full offseason to gell with Justin Fields would help make him a viable weapon in the offense in 2023.
That didn't happen. Claypool began showing poor effort and became a focal point for drama rather than production. After four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets in three games, the Bears cut their losses.
The Bears traded Claypool to the Miami Dolphins for a 2025 6th round pick in early October. As a Dolphin, Claypool hardly saw the field, buried on the depth chart by an established core of receivers in a high-powered offense. He played in nine games, almost exclusively on special teams. He did see seven targets, catching four passes for 26 yards.
Claypool is set to be a free agent this offseason, so he'll likely find his fourth team in two calendar years battling for a roster spot.