Talk about a depreciating asset. Eleven months after trading a second-round pick for WR Chase Claypool, the Chicago Bears, hat in hand, are asking for basically anything in return.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bears want to trade Claypool and are looking for a fifth- or sixth-round pick in return. He tweeted the news moments ago.
Chicago acquired Claypool at the deadline last year, flipping a second rounder for him. That became the 32nd overall pick, the top selection of the second round, which the Steelers used to draft CB Joey Porter Jr. So far, Porter looks to be a productive and emerging player for the Steelers.
Claypool is officially inactive today for Chicago as the Bears take on the Denver Broncos. He’s been unproductive, given poor effort, and has criticized the coaching staff for not using him correctly. Now, the Bears want to make him someone else’s problem. Frankly, getting even that kind of return seems doubtful for him.
Schultz’s tweet indicates GM Ryan Poles is looking for receiver-needy teams. Perhaps the Carolina Panthers are one of the teams he is calling. Earlier today, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Panthers are in the receiver market despite being 0-3. They have one of the league’s worst and slowest groups in football, though adding a malcontent like Claypool doesn’t exactly solve those problems.
In 10 games with the Bears, Claypool’s caught only 18 passes and one touchdown. Chicago has not won a game since trading for him last year.
