MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Chicago traded Canadian wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins on Friday, ending the fourth-year player's brief and disappointing tenure with the Bears.
The Dolphins will also receive a 2025 seventh-round pick in the trade in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
The move comes after Claypool expressed frustration about his role in Chicago's offence. Claypool was told to stay away from the team for a Week 4 matchup with the Denver Broncos as well as Thursday's game against the Washington Commanders. He was a healthy scratch from both games.
Chicago acquired Claypool, who Pittsburgh drafted in the second round in 2020, from the Steelers last November for a second-round pick in the 2023 draft. The 25-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., played 10 games for the Bears with 18 receptions on 43 targets, 191 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Coach Matt Eberflus was asked about the situation surrounding Claypool earlier this week.
“Day 1, I talked about being on time, being respectful and working hard,” Eberflus said. “That, to me, is important for every individual — if it’s a staff member, a player or a coach. That’s where we are. We feel right now this is the best decision for us.”
Chicago has been plagued by off-field issues all year. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned in September for what he said were health and family reasons. Quarterback Justin Fields made headlines when he suggested he was being overcoached, comments he later said were taken out of context.
The Bears won their first game since the 2022 season in a 40-20 defeat of the Commanders on Thursday night.
Claypool is joining a loaded receiver room in Miami that features All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill and speedy third-year player Jaylen Waddle. The Dolphins receiver room did take a hit when River Cracraft went on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder in Week 3.
Shortly after the trade was announced, Hill made a post that said “Chase Claypool I like it.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the team wasn't necessarily looking for receiver help but thought Claypool, who is the type of fast player that McDaniel likes, could make them better.
“For us it felt like a situation where there might be a role to carve out for him,” McDaniel said Friday. “For the player, you have a guy that wants to take things into his own hands and have the opportunity to be on a team.”
When asked about criticisms of Claypool's work ethic, McDaniel said the Dolphins are aware of that reputation, but wanted to give Claypool the opportunity for a new slate. He added that he and general manager Chris Grier have made their expectations “crystal clear.”
“There’s a balance with that. Everybody hears things," he said. "I think it’s very, very important that you let people tell you who they are. And I see better than I hear.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
