Tim Benz: Talk of trading Chase Claypool for Roquan Smith is one thing, dealing him for the sake of it is something else

I’ve been pretty hard on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool over the past year and a half. But even I’m a little hesitant to jump on all the recent talk about him being traded.

The latest salvo in that regard came from ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio. Speaking Wednesday on 93.7 The Fan, Florio said a trade of Claypool at some point early this season is possible.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Chase Claypool got traded before the deadline (Nov. 1),” Florio told The PM Team. “I don’t think they are going to pay him the way they paid Diontae Johnson. He’s going to want even more than Johnson. You’ve got to hold some back for George Pickens. Once you see that Pickens can get it done, I think you have to put on the table the possibility of trading Chase Claypool.”

Well, maybe you do. If he’s part of a trade to Chicago for linebacker Roquan Smith. But how about just waiting to sign Smith in the offseason then if that’s what it is going to take?

And, frankly, it’s probably going to take more than just Claypool to pull off a deal like that. It may take a first round pick, too.

But like some of Claypool’s routes, I’ve gotten off track.

Claypool, while flawed, still has great potential in that huge wide receiver body of his (6-foot-4, 238 pounds). Plus, he’s probably going to be the Steelers main receiver in the slot this year. And, if either Pickens or Johnson go down with an injury, he’s essentially the only option on the roster to bump outside.

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Miles Boykin is built like Claypool (6-foot-4, 220 pounds). But he doesn’t have Claypool’s receiving ability. Meanwhile, Gunner Olszewski and Calvin Austin III may prove to be great in the slot. But neither projects to be a consistent outside-the-numbers threat. Claypool can play at least two positions for a Steelers offense that relies on three-wide receiver sets 75% of the time. And he’ll be doing so at a cheap rate — $1.21 million this year, $1.51 million next year (the final season on his rookie contract).

If he’s dealt, two guys down the depth chart are probably going to have to combine to fill the void.

Also, dealing Claypool would create the need — yet again — to spend at least a second- or third-round 2023 draft choice on a receiver. With glaring holes at inside linebacker, cornerback and offensive line all on the horizon for the 2023 offseason, do the Steelers really want to paint themselves into that corner?

Sure, there is a lot Claypool needs to refine in his game. He must become a more consistent route runner and pass catcher. He’s got to stay on his feet after the catch more often. His blocking needs to improve. So does his red-zone production (only two touchdowns in 2021). And he needs to have a better grasp of what’s important between self-promotion and self-preparation.

In other words, he needs to stop running his mouth and pointing the football for a first down when the play is going on.

If Claypool is moved for Smith or another “unicorn”-type player, I could handle that. However, just cavalierly discussing him as a piece the Steelers may sell off for the sake of it seems awfully short-sighted to me.