Steelers trade WR Chase Claypool to Bears for second-round pick

After selling off two key members of their defense, the Chicago Bears added a piece to the offense.

The Bears completed a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, per ESPN's Field Yates. 

The Bears are sending a second-round pick to Pittsburgh to complete the trade. 

Claypool had been a popular name on the NFL's rumor mill, but the Steelers were not going to give him away unless somebody met their price. Chicago did. 

It's an important move for Chicago because it must surround quarterback Justin Fields with playmakers. Even though Claypool has been wildly inconsistent during the first two-plus years of his career, he has star potential and big-play ability. 

Claypool has 32 catches for 311 yards this season. Only one Chicago receiver (Darnell Mooney) has caught more than 12 passes this season so it should be a big upgrade. 

As for Pittsburgh, this is a clear sign that the Steelers know they are not going to win this season and are looking ahead to the future. 

They are 2-6 after Sunday's loss to Philadelphia and must make major changes to the offense. 

While trading a starting wide receiver may not be an immediate improvement, it should help make rookie wide receiver George Pickens a bigger part of the offense. He has been one of the few players who has shown an ability to make plays but has rarely been targeted. 

It also gives the Steelers much-needed draft capital given the number of holes they have to fill. 

The pick is reportedly Chicago's own second-round pick, which should be near the top end of the second round. Combined with its own picks, which should be at the top end of the draft given their record, Pittsburgh has the potential for three picks within the top 45 of the 2023 class. 

This is already Chicago's third major trade over the past two weeks.

The Bears acquired a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens for starting linebacker Roquan Smith on Monday, a week after trading defensive end Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles.