The Chicago Bears gave up the 32nd pick in the NFL Draft for Chase Claypool and it didn’t immediately work out for the Chicago Bears during the 2022 NFL season.
The Chicago Bears’ off-season was graded by a few anonymous NFL GMs for the trade down from the first overall pick to the haul the Bears added in free agency in an article in The Athletic. Most notably was Ryan Poles being blasted for the move to trade for Chase Claypool which looks like an absolute disaster thus far.
“If I’m a Bears fan, I’m still really pissed that we lost the 32nd pick in the draft for Chase Claypool,” another exec said, referencing the trade Chicago made with Pittsburgh during last season. “How bad does that move look now that you had to include D.J. Moore in the No. 1 pick trade?”
The Claypool trade was a disaster almost immediately for the Bears. Claypool wound up dinged up and then Justin Fields was forced to fight through injuries. The two never developed any sort of chemistry and Claypool struggled to pick up the offense. It remains to be seen whether or not the Bears made the right call.
Barring a tremendous turnaround in Claypool’s career trajectory it will be very hard to overcome the loss of the 32nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft that the Chicago Bears gave up to the Steelers.
In other analysis of the Bears off-season thus far NFL execs had this to add to the discussion stating,
Counting Moore, acquired from Carolina when the Bears traded down from first to ninth in the draft order, Chicago added players with $70 million in combined annual salary, most in the league. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Moore, guard Nate Davis, defensive end DeMarcus Walker and linebacker T.J. Edwards accounted for most of that.
“The Bears are interesting because people are like, ‘Do they really have to go all-in on off-ball linebackers?’” an exec said. “But in (Matt) Eberflus’ system, those guys are pretty critical. The good thing is, they have a plan. They had a ton of money. There wasn’t a top-heavy free agency class with a lot of big-money guys you are dying to get. Adding D.J. Moore is better than any receiver you are going to get in free agency.”
Chicago made the trade with Carolina earlier on the calendar than most similar trades are made. GM Ryan Poles indicated a deal with Houston for the second pick fell through. Had Chicago pulled off that trade, the team might have been able to double dip, moving down again. Waiting around in attempt to maximize value would have frozen some of the Bears’ plans for free agency, however.
“You can only put your focus and energy into so many parts of the roster when that type of deal is not done yet,” an exec said.
The Bears must feel good about addressing their offensive and defensive lines in the draft. Chicago holds the ninth pick, plus extra picks in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.
The Chicago Bears did well to remake the defense in the mold of the Brian Urlacher Lance Briggs era Bears defense. Tremaine Edmunds will be in the Brian Urlacher MIKE role and TJ Edwards be the WILL linebacker spot that Lance Briggs manned during the Bears’ defensive heyday of 2005 to 2012.
The Chicago Bears will still need to find their Tommie Harris to man the 3-technique spot, but the hope is Jalen Carter falls to the Bears at nine overall to give the Bears a chance at moving close to the Monsters of the Midway.
Of note, the Chicago Bears still need to find a starter center and a starting right tackle before the 2023 season. Whether that comes via another trade, a late free agency addition after June 1st cuts or via the NFL Draft remains to be seen.
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