NFL trade deadline: 3 players Steelers should dump for draft picks
By Mark Powell
Steelers trade candidates: Chase Claypool
Trading from a position of strength is what smart organizations do. Despite their current status in the basement of the AFC, the Steelers are one of those smart organizations.
Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room has been crowded for much of the last decade, and this year is no exception despite their offensive struggles. Chase Claypool should be the odd man out. Look for the Steelers to at least shop Claypool, who has some value, at this year’s trade deadline. The Notre Dame product’s contract goes through the 2023 campaign, so he could retrieve some mid-round draft capital for a team that desperately needs weapons on the outside — such as the Green Bay Packers.
Claypool is on pace for around 500 yards this season in the Steel City. Much of that is due to Matt Canada’s inept system and the quarterback play. While Claypool isn’t a world-beater, he can be a No. 2 or No. 3 threat on a good football team. The Steelers just don’t qualify as that.
Kenny Pickett has enough weapons with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens emerging. They also tend to draft well at wideout, so Claypool can be easily replaced.