NFL Rumors: Deshaun Watson called out sick, Kenny Pickett injury, Claypool best suitor

NFL Rumors: NFL source names best Chase Claypool trade destinations

Chase Claypool was a healthy scratch for the Chicago Bears' Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos. It feels like a mutual decision after Claypool recently criticized the Chicago coaches and expressed concern about his role in the offense. Now, it's only a matter of days or weeks until Claypool arrives in a new city with a new uniform on his back.

Bears GM Ryan Poles is seeking a fifth or sixth-round pick in exchange for Claypool. Chicago traded a second-round pick to acquire Claypool from the Steelers last season, so the Bears are victims of sunk cost here. There's no going back on the Claypool trade, and the only viable way forward is to get him out of the locker room and away from the offense (which looked surprisingly competent in Claypool's absence on Sunday).

"No one is going to pay a high price for Chase Claypool," one NFL executive told Mike Lombardo of FanBuzz. "I don't know which teams would even really need him. But, if you look at teams like Philadelphia or Kansas City, maybe even Detroit ... Teams making championship runs could view him as a quality backup or depth piece."

Those are compelling possibilities for the 25-year-old out of Notre Dame. He's clearly frustrated with the losing in Chicago, not to mention the impotence of the offense. Claypool is not blameless — four catches on 14 targets for 51 yards this season — but perhaps a better system with a better culture would lead to more productive results.

Claypool is not far removed from a 956-yard sophomore campaign with the Steelers. At 6-foot-4, he's a monster athlete with the potential to serve as a dynamic deep-ball threat. That is, when he's going full speed and not blowing blocking assignments. Claypool will have to prove that he can win and embrace his role before any team gets too excited, but don't be shocked if a contender takes the low-risk, high-reward swing via trade.