Chase Claypool trade rumors : Should the Packers shell out for a new target for Aaron Rodgers?
Jessica Wood Chase Claypool has had a promising start to his career, and with the NFL trade deadline coming up, he’s been generating interest from many teams.
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The NFL trade deadline is just over a week away, and teams are going to be desperate to add or subtract players who they think can make a difference to their team.
Particularly, tanking teams will be selling to clear their teams of large contracts and acquire draft picks. On the other side, contending teams will be buying, looking to make that one change to their team that can solidify their place in the league’s elite.
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Despite Claypool’s intrigue, the Steelers’ wide receiver room is currently stacked. Rookie George Pickens has burst onto the scene with explosive plays, and Diontae Johnson was recently extended. Some reports even indicate that the Steelers WR was available during the preseason.
Chase Claypool trade rumors : Does Aaron Rodgers get a new target?
Claypool’s rookie season was a sight to behold. He didn’t put up Justin Jefferson level numbers, but he was still very impressive all told.
He finished the year with 873 receiving yards, 62 catches, and 9 touchdowns. Claypool regressed a little in his sophomore year, but he was also injured, starting only 13 games. He finished with 860 yards, 59 catches, and 2 touchdowns. The hope was that in his third year, Claypool would finally take the massive leap everyone was waiting for.
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However, his 38 receiving yards per game is his worst mark. The Steelers offense is also the worst it has been in recent years. Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett haven’t worked out as well as fans would have hoped.
Several teams are interested in picking Claypool off the Steelers. For example, the Green Bay Packers are desperate to add a target for Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay is off to a 3-4 start, and the offense is clearly suffering from a lack of a true number 1 receiver. Claypool doesn’t fit that bill either, but he could certainly match, if not exceed, the play of the Packers’ current receivers.
Aaron Rodgers has 11 touchdowns for the year, first in the NFC alongside Jared Goff. Even without an elite receiving group, the grizzled veteran has produced.
Rodgers is 37 years old, and the Packers have never made the move to trade for a receiver, especially not in recent years. Claypool’s big body gives him a strong downfield target, something the Packers desperately lack. Rodgers is currently averaging 6.5 yards per attempt, the third-lowest mark of his career outside his first two years when he wasn’t even the starter.
Adding someone like Claypool could do wonders for Rodgers and the Packers currently.
Other teams Claypool could join
The Dallas Cowboys are also in the mix. They currently have the fifth fewest receptions in the league, and even though they’ve been winning games, they need more to compete with the top offenses in the NFC. Amari Cooper is gone as well, so adding a big body like Claypool would bolster their red zone game.
The Baltimore Ravens could have an outside chance at landing Claypool, but they would likely have to give up more to acquire a receiver from the same division.
Pittsburgh’s asking price for Claypool is also playing a massive factor as some reports believe that they may demand just a tad under what the Panthers received for Christian McCaffrey. To jog your memory, the Panthers received 2023 second-, third- and fourth-round selections, and a fifth-round pick in 2024.
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