Chase Claypool trade shows how Packers lucked out while Bears totally blew it
Sometimes, the best deals are the ones you don't make.
That's true for the Green Bay Packers regarding wide receiver Chase Claypool. The Packers tried to trade for Claypool before last year's deadline, a move to add another target for Aaron Rodgers.
Fortunately, the deal didn't happen. The Pittsburgh Steelers instead agreed a trade with the Chicago Bears. Chicago sent a second-rounder to Pittsburgh, which ended up the No. 32 overall pick.
Less than a year on, the Packers can feel relieved they didn't get the trade over the line.
Packers won the Chase Claypool trade by not making it
The Packers got lucky. Chicago has already had enough of Claypool, trading him to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025.
Packers fans can enjoy this one, but let's be honest, we got lucky. The Bears wasted the No. 32 pick on a player who lasted less than a year. Green Bay, meanwhile, may have struck gold with the pick it didn't trade away.
Both the Bears and Packers offered a second-round pick for Chase Claypool last year, and the Steelers ultimately accepted Chicago's offer. Green Bay ended up using their second-round pick to select Michigan State WR Jayden Reed.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2023
The Packers turned the No. 45 pick into Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Karl Brooks.
Green Bay traded down twice in quick succession, adding two Day 3 draft picks. At No. 50, the Packers selected Reed, a move that already looks like a home run.
Reed is one of Jordan Love's top targets, having caught 12 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns in four games. He is the slot receiver the Packers desperately needed, but Reed offers far more than just that. With his ability to make tough, contested catches, Reed can line up on the outside. He is also a master after the catch.
Wicks has an exciting future in Green Bay. He is a big-play threat, runs smooth routes, and has huge potential. Brooks could be the steal of the entire draft. Despite not starting a game, he already has two sacks, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.
Instead of trading for Chase Claypool, the Packers kept their pick, turning it into Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Karl Brooks.
All the Bears have is a 2025 sixth-round pick.
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