There may be other teams interested in trading for WR Chase Claypool. But it takes two to tango, and according to the PPG’s Gerry Dulac, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t want to dance. Dulac writes the team has no desire to move on from Claypool. saying:
“The Steelers are not trying to trade Claypool or even looking to trade him. Not unless some team comes knocking on their door with a deal that is just too good to pass up. And that hasn’t happened.”
Dulac also called the story nothing but a “juicy rumor.”
Claypool’s name has been rumored in trade talks, some credible, some not, throughout the week, kicking off with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler linking him to the Green Bay Packers earlier in the week. Claypool is coming off the best game of the season, maybe his best of the last two years, a seven catch, 96-yard, one-score performance in Sunday’s upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pittsburgh seems more likely to try to build off that as opposed to boosting his trade value and shipping him to another team.
Still, deadlines spur action, and there’s no reason for the team to even decide if it’s in buy or sell mode. It’s future still hangs in the balance two weeks ahead of the deadline. If Pittsburgh wins the next two games, they’ll be .500 heading into the bye and definitely won’t look to sell. If Pittsburgh loses the next two games, it’ll fall to 2-6 and its season will essentially be over, perhaps motivating it to make a move. There’s no reason for this team to entertain the idea right now.
Of course, Claypool isn’t an expiring contract either. His rookie deal runs through next season and he’s an affordable piece on the roster. Serving as the team’s big slot receiver, he’s struggled in that role but hopes to pick up where he left off last weekend. This season, Claypool has 23 receptions for 225 yards and one touchdown while also mixing in some work in the wide receiver run game, eight carries for 55 yards. The problem with him is finding a fit in the offense, inconsistent as an outside “Z” receiver while looking uncomfortable in the slot.
Though Christian McCaffrey’s deal last night was a headliner, the NFL trade deadline is often more bark than bite, more rumors than transactions, and the odds of the Steelers making any move at the deadline, Claypool or not, seem low. The official deadline is November 1st at 4 PM/EST, so we’ll get all of our answers by then.
