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Bears' Claypool reportedly on trade block after healthy scratch

Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool. Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Bears WR Chase Claypool reportedly on trade block after healthy scratch

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 10/1/23

Chase Claypool’s tenure with the Chicago Bears has been memorable for all the wrong reasons.

The 25-year-old wideout was a healthy scratch in Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos, and according to a report from Justin Schultz of The Score, the Bears are shopping Claypool for a fifth- or sixth-round pick.

Per Schultz, Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been calling teams that he believes are in the market for a receiver and gauging possible interest in the 6-foot-4 receiver.

Chicago acquired Claypool after Week 8 last season for a second-round pick. In fact, the Bears beat out division rival Green Bay for Claypool’s services because the second-rounder they offered was a higher pick.

A #Bears official just clarified to us that WR Chase Claypool was asked to stay home today. He did not have a choice, which HC Matt Eberflus had originally told us.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) October 1, 2023

Justin Fields said he found out Chase Claypool was going to be inactive yesterday during a team meeting and a reason was not provided by the coaching staff. The QB said he was frustrated to not have one of his best weapons here but reiterated that he wants Claypool on the team.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) October 1, 2023

Claypool came under fire this week after telling reporters he didn’t believe the Bears coaching staff was putting him in position to showcase what he could really do. He said something similar after being traded last year as well.

"I think every situation has the ability to be ideal, and I think we're just working towards that," Claypool said, via ESPN. "I'm not going to say that. I wouldn't say it's not an ideal place for me. Obviously, there's other places — you can say, 'Oh, I want to be on the best offense with the highest passing yards,' but that doesn't happen in football. You just have to make do with what you got."

Claypool has played in only 10 games since the trade, including five starts, catching just 18 of his 43 targets for 191 yards and one touchdown. He's been targeted 14 times in three games this season but has just 51 yards on four receptions, one of which was a touchdown.

The Bears traded for 26-year-old D.J. Moore during the offseason to complement former 1,000-yard receiver Darnell Mooney. They also spent a 2023 fourth-round pick on receiver Tyler Scott, who had 899 yards and nine touchdowns last season at the University of Cincinnati.

Moore leads the team in receiving yards (170) and he’s tied for the team lead in receptions (11), targets (15) and touchdowns (one).

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