Chicago Bears trade Chase Claypool to Miami Dolphins, swap draft picks

LAKE FOREST – The Bears have traded wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins, cutting ties with a player who had tantalizing athletic potential, but who never quite fit in with the Bears offense.

The Bears are sending Claypool to Miami on Friday, pending a physical, in a trade that includes a pick swap. The Bears will receive Miami’s 2025 sixth-round pick, and Miami will receive the Bears’ 2025 seventh-round pick.

Head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles spoke with Claypool on Friday morning.

“We wished him nothing but the best,” Eberflus said. “He appreciated his time here, and that was a good conversation we had. We wish him the best.”

Accepting that late-round pick swap in return for Claypool is essentially admitting a mistake and moving on for Bears general manager Ryan Poles. Less than a year ago, Poles traded a second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for Claypool. That pick wound up being the No. 32 overall draft pick in the 2023 draft.

Claypool has a unique blend of size and speed, but off-the-field drama was never far behind him. The Bears benched him last week, days after he told members of the media that the team was not utilizing his skills properly.

Claypool did not play Sunday against Denver, and the team asked him not to come to work this week. He did not make the trip with the Bears to Washington D.C. for Thursday’s win over the Commanders.

For the Bears, it was time to move on. If Claypool wasn’t with the team, there was no point in keeping him on the 53-man roster. The return that Poles received for Claypool shows that the trade market was not exactly huge. But the fact that they received anything – even just a pick swap – in return was a good thing for the Bears.

The Bears will move on from Claypool as they come off two of their best passing games in a long time. Quarterback Justin Fields had eight touchdown passes over the past two games. Asked about Claypool this week, Fields said it “sucks” but that the Bears just have to move on.

I think he knows that he kind of messed up by saying that, but wish him nothing but the best. He’s a talented player and he’s a great person, has a good heart and works really hard. Definitely going to be staying in touch with him regardless of what happens.”

—  Justin Fields, Bears quarterback

“Wish nothing but the best for Chase,” Fields said this week. “I think he knows that he kind of messed up by saying that, but wish him nothing but the best. He’s a talented player, and he’s a great person, has a good heart and works really hard. Definitely going to be staying in touch with him regardless of what happens.”

Claypool finishes his Bears career with 18 catches for 191 yards and a touchdown in 10 games.

Now, Claypool heads to a Miami team that has one of the best passing attacks in football. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in place, the Dolphins will have significant, established starters ahead of Claypool on the roster. They are essentially taking an inexpensive gamble on the idea that they could unlock Claypool.

Eberflus said he didn’t regret taking a chance on Claypool even though it didn’t work out the way the Bears hoped.

“I think we took a shot on a guy to bring more skill here, and for whatever reason – I’m not going to get into the reasons – it just didn’t work out,” Eberflus said. “We wish him the best.”