3 reasons Chase Claypool will be better with Chicago Bears than Steelers

1. Chase Claypool is higher on Chicago Bears’ pecking order

When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Chase Claypool, they already had JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson on their roster. Then, they drafted Pat Friermuth. Then, they drafted George Pickens.

It is really no surprise that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a surplus of skill players when you look at what they commit to it compared to the Chicago Bears. Still, the reality is that it put Claypool in a spot where he was competing for targets in a loaded room.

In Pittsburgh, he was the clear number two behind Diontae Johnson in routes run, and target share. He was barely ahead of George Pickens in both, and Pickens has more air yards on fewer snaps. Beyond that, the team moved him from a 30% slot player to a 70% slot player to make room for Pickens. This has not worked out well.

Now, Claypool is going from somewhere where he was pretty much a third option at best to be the number one or two option in Chicago. He is bigger and can go up and get it, but Mooney is a more refined wideout than Claypool. Either way, the addition of Claypool helps Mooney, and the fact that it is just Mooney across from Claypool helps him as well.

So, Claypool should see more targets in Chicago, he has a passer who fits his skills more, and he the playcalling should be designed to help him. It is fair to expect Claypool to play better in Chicago than he did in Pittsburgh. And they said Chicago is where WRs go to die.