The Tennessee Titans desperately need help in their wide receivers corps., and that’s true even after their injured wideouts return.
With the NFL trade deadline looming on Nov. 1, Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner laid out some trade scenarios for multiple teams, and in one of them he has the Titans acquiring wideout Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here’s what he had to say about the deal that has the Titans sending the Steelers two picks, including a 2023 second-rounder and 2024 third-rounder.
Claypool has reportedly been at the center of trade talks for the Steelers following their 2-5 start. He’s fallen out of favor a touch with the emergence of rookie George Pickens. With a year and a half left on his rookie contract, Claypool could still fetch a hefty deal on the open market.
At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, Claypool also fits the ethos of the Titans’ offense. He’s a big-bodied, big catch-radius receiver who can work the middle of the field while also stretching the field. That’s what Tennessee hoped Treylon Burks could be out the gate, but the rookie has taken a while to get going.
A 2020 second-round pick of the Steelers, Claypool posted an impressive rookie campaign in 2020, reeling in 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Notre Dame product then went on to tally 860 yards and two scores in 15 games last season. In 2022, Claypool is on pace to have the lowest production output of his career, as he’s on pace for 646 yards.
In Claypool’s defense, the Steelers have been a mess at quarterback — and on offense in general — pretty much since he came into the league.
Ben Roethelisberger was decent in 2020 but stunk in 2021, and the Steelers’ offense as a whole has been a disaster in 2022. Claypool isn’t blameless in all this, but it’s hard to blame his declining production totally on him.
As much as I would love the addition of a speedy, 6-foot-4, 238-pound receivers who is only 24 years old and has one more year left on his rookie deal after 2022, Renner’s package is just too much to give up.
After all, Claypool’s stock is likely at an all-time low, as he’s fallen to No. 3 in the wideout pecking order. That alone will limit the return Pittsburgh gets for him, although I could see a return of a third-round pick at most.
While there is no evidence the Titans are interested in such a trade, the team should be willing to part with a third-round pick if such a scenario for a high-upside player like Claypool presents itself.
Claypool is a big-bodied target who can be a threat in the red zone, and he can work the middle of the field as well as be a deep threat. He checks multiple boxes Tennessee needs to check.
If it costs a third-rounder, sign me up. This is exactly the kind of impact move Tennessee needs to make if it wants to compete for more than just a division crown.
