The Chicago Bears continue to be one of the most active teams ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
Despite Chicago currently sitting in third in the NFC North and 14th in the 16-team conference, the Bears reportedly will trade for wide receiver Chase Claypool in a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chicago will send a second-round pick to the Steelers for the third-year wideout, as first reported by ESPN's Field Yates.
Claypool, 24, was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. His rookie contract will expire after the 2023 season with modest base salaries and cap hits through that campaign.
The Notre Dame product saw a slight decrease in offensive snaps the last three weeks as a result of Pittsburgh's depth at the position and mediocre quarterback play. The Steelers also have Diontae Johnson and George Pickens headlining the depth chart and have been one of the best organizations at finding receiver talent in the draft.
The Bears, meanwhile, give quarterback Justin Fields a 6-foot-4, 238-pound receiver to play outside and command attention of opposing defenses. Claypool compiled 860 receiving yards and 59 or more receptions in each of his first two NFL seasons.
The trade for Claypool comes after the Bears shipped arguably their two best defensive players in Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith to the Eagles and Ravens, respectively, in recent days.
