Bears Rumors: Chase Claypool Not 'Trending' in Right Direction After 2022 Trade

After acquiring him last season from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round draft pick, the Chicago Bears are reportedly down on wide receiver Chase Claypool entering the 2023 campaign.

Speaking this week on ESPN 1000's Waddle & Silvy, host Marc Silverman said he had heard some negative things about Claypool from people within the Bears organization:

Regarding Claypool's integration into the team ahead of training camp, Silverman said it "isn't trending in a way that the Bears have wanted it to trend." He also said that he was told Claypool "is not somebody who is very self-motivated."

After starring collegiately at Notre Dame, the 6'4", 238-pound Claypool went 49th overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft to the Steelers.

Claypool's rookie campaign was his best season to date, as he finished with a career-high 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns. He was solid the following season as well, making 59 receptions for 860 yards, although his touchdowns dipped to just two.

After scuffling to the tune of only 32 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown through eight games last season, Claypool was dealt to Chicago.

Claypool was widely expected to become an instant starter across from Darnell Mooney and a favorite target of quarterback Justin Fields, but he was essentially a non-factor with just 14 catches for 140 yards and no touchdowns in seven games with the Bears.

The pick Chicago traded to Pittsburgh ended up being the first selection of the second round. It was essentially a first-round pick at No. 32 overall since the Miami Dolphins had to forfeit their first-round pick.

Pittsburgh used that pick to take Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who has a chance to make an instant impact as a rookie.

As for the Bears, they brought in a true No. 1 wideout this offseason in D.J. Moore. They acquired him from the Carolina Panthers as part of the package for the No. 1 overall pick that Carolina used on quarterback Bryce Young.

That means Claypool is no higher than third in Chicago's wide receiver pecking order, and it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Equanimeous St. Brown, Dante Pettis, 2022 third-round pick Velus Jones or 2023 fourth-round pick Tyler Scott could surpass him as well.

If that happens and Claypool is either buried on the depth chart or released, the trade with Pittsburgh could go down as one of the worst in recent memory for Chicago.