The Chicago Bears are moving on from one of their biggest mistakes in the last few seasons, announcing a trade that is sending wide receiver Chase Claypool to the AFC.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport tweeted on Friday, October 6 that the Bears are trading Claypool to the Miami Dolphins. The Athletic's Dianna Russini added that the trade will have the Bears moving up in the 2025 NFL Draft, sending a seventh-round pick to Miami in exchange for a sixth-round pick the same year.
Trade! The Chicago Bears are trading WR Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins, per league sources. It will be a 2025 6th from Miami for Claypool and a 2025 7th from Chicago. https://t.co/Rqt3k5LjPw
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 6, 2023
Claypool has struggled to find his footing in Chicago after being traded to the Bears by the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. In 10 games with the NFC North franchise, Claypool has racked up only 18 catches for 191 yards and a single touchdown.
The situation between Claypool and the Bears quickly began to sour at the start of the 2023 season, with fans and analysts alike criticizing his effort in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers. The situation continued to get worse early into this season, with the former Steelers wide receiver calling out the team by claiming that he wasn't being utilized properly.
Those comments presumably led to Claypool being a healthy scratch in the team's last two games. Prior to Claypool being sent to Miami, Bears general manager Ryan Poles all but confirmed that the team was moving on prior to Thursday's game against the Washington Commanders, stating that the franchise wished him well in his future endeavors.
Ryan Poles said he wishes Chase Claypool luck moving forward in his career and that this situation is one Claypool and the Bears will learn from.
Poles: "I always look at things from a player?s perspective. You have a player going into his free agent year, who wants to be?
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) October 5, 2023
Now that Claypool is moving on, the Bears can focus on continuing to build on two very promising performances from quarterback Justin Fields, who now leads the NFL in passing touchdowns. The former first-round pick has found a connection with new wideout D.J. Moore, who finished Thursday's game with eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns in the 40-20 victory.
