Dolphins trade with Bears for WR Chase Claypool; team places Terron Armstead on IR
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins made a trade with the Chicago Bears for wide receiver Chase Claypool on Friday.
The trade involves a late-round pick swap of 2025 draft selections; the Dolphins sent a sixth-round pick to Chicago and the Bears traded a seventh-rounder along with Claypool. The deal is pending a physical on Claypool.
Claypool burst onto the NFL scene his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching nine touchdowns in 2020 as a second-round pick out of Notre Dame. Since, however, he has not produced at the same level.
Although he still posted 59 receptions for 860 yards with Pittsburgh in 2021 — he had 62 receptions for 873 the year before — he only had two receiving touchdowns.
He was traded from the Steelers to the Bears at last season’s trade deadline, and the Bears are now shipping him away less than a full calendar year later. Claypool was at odds with the organization over the way he was being used in the offense. He was a healthy inactive in Chicago’s Thursday night win over the Washington Commanders.
The Dolphins acquire depth at the receiver position behind stars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. They also have Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen and Cedrick Wilson Jr. on the roster, but they recently had to place River Cracraft on injured reserve for a shoulder injury and Erik Ezukanma on the non-football injury list for a neck ailment.
Claypool gives Miami a big-bodied receiver the team doesn’t otherwise have on the roster, measuring in at 6-foot-4, 238 pounds. He also has speed, running a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the 2020 scouting combine.
Armstead to IR
In order to make move on the roster, the Dolphins placed left tackle Terron Armstead on injured reserve Friday, coach Mike McDaniel said at his press conference before the day’s practice.
It was a move that was always a possibility this week as McDaniel was saying Armstead’s recovery would take weeks after he left Sunday’s 48-20 with a left knee injury. He also was playing through ankle, back and another knee ailment.
Armstead is now set to miss at least the next four weeks with his placement on IR, costing him Sunday’s game against the Giants and ensuing games against the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots, at a minimum.
The four-time Pro Bowl left tackle had also missed the Dolphins’ first two games of 2023 with the ankle injury he suffered Aug. 17 in a joint practice with the Houston Texans. Kendall Lamm is set to again step in as Miami’s starting left tackle.
This story will be updated.