Ryan Poles explains why he’s still happy with Chase Claypool trade

The Chicago Bears’ decision to trade for WR Chase Claypool at the 2022 NFL trade deadline seemed like a great idea at the time. But after seven games, a knee injury, and just 14 catches for 140 yards, doubt about Claypool’s future impact has crept into the fanbase.

General manager Ryan Poles doesn’t share that doubt. On Tuesday, he met with reporters at his end-of-year press conference and reiterated his confidence in Claypool as a weapon for the Bears moving forward.

Poles compared in-season trades in football to other major American sports and explained why it’s more difficult for a player like Claypool to make an instant impact post-trade.

“That’s the difference between, like, trades in baseball and basketball,” Poles said. “It’s like plug-and-play (in those sports). There’s an entire offseason and half a season (in football) of installs and all the things you need to do to collectively to play and execute an offensive play. On top of that, it was a little bit choppy with some of Justin (Fields) getting dinged up, (Claypool) got dinged up, so it was a little bit choppy of a start. I told Chase, we had a really good conversation, I’m not blinking at that one at all. I think he’s going to help us moving forward, and I’m excited about it.”

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Bears paid a steep price for Chase Claypool

No one could’ve guessed the pick the Bears traded for Claypool would eventually have first-round value. With the Miami Dolphins forfeiting their selection in Round 1, Chicago’s second-rounder is the 32nd pick, a first-rounder in a “normal” NFL Draft.

Chase Claypool will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2023. And with how the wide receiver market has exploded in recent offseasons, a breakout year for Claypool next season will require a massive contract extension.

If Poles” confidence in Claypool is genuine, perhaps he should get him locked up now rather than wait until his contract demands go up.

Don’t expect that to happen, though. Poles is more of a prove-it guy, and he’ll give Claypool a chance to do that next year.

“Yeah, I wish he came in and had 1,000 yards and we were just going,” Poles said. “But it didn’t happen that way. But do I believe in the talent and what he can bring to this team? I do. In terms of the contract stuff, to me, we just got to take the next step and see how he gets implemented and how he does in this offseason. He’s going to spend a lot of time with Justin as well as the other receivers and build that chemistry, and we’ll be able to evaluate that even clearer next year.”

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