Steelers: Can Chase Claypool Reemerge as a Top Offensive Weapon?
Chase Claypool is entering year three for the Pittsburgh Steelers, will he become a top option for their offense?
The NFL continues to trend toward being pass dominant. Outside of quarterback play, elite wide receivers are becoming a necessity for team success. The Pittsburgh Steelers understand this, as they have become one of the foremost organizations that have become receiver factories. Steelers pass catchers are regarded with high esteem year after year. One of these wide receivers is looking to bounce back after a lackluster second season in the league.
Chase Claypool stepped on the scene in 2020 with a monstrous rookie campaign. He had 11 total touchdowns, 62 receptions, and 873 yards. Claypool’s rare combination of size and speed had many making comparisons to a young Calvin Johnson. The “hype” became very real very quickly for Claypool and the Steelers as he looked to capitalize going into his second season.
Steelers: Chase Claypool Can Become a Top Option in the Pittsburgh Offense
Unfortunately, the hype may have caught up to him. His statistics looked fairly similar from year one to year two with 59 catches for 860 yards. But the touchdown production went down from 11 total to just two through the air. This was far and away from what everyone expected of Claypool. Some on the field blunders and off the field distractions led many to question whether Claypool cared more about first down celebrations and social media presence than he did winning games.
Regardless of last season’s woes, Claypool insists he is a top talent in the league. On the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast, hosted by former NFL veterans, Claypool said that he was a “better” player in his second year than his rookie year when it came to understanding the game and his assignments. He would continue to claim that he was a top three receiver in the NFL. Obviously, this is what any fan would want one of their young stars to say. It’s one thing to say it, but it’s another to prove it. Chase Claypool’s year three may be his best due to the following.
Retirement of Big Ben
Ben Roethlisberger is arguably the greatest quarterback in Steelers’ history, but his play in his final season was definitely not a memorable one. His arm strength had definitely wavered. Couple that with some questionable reads, and you essentially have yourself a quarterback problem. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Ben was the best viable option. Chase Claypool is 6’4,” 240 pounds, with 4.42 speed. So, throwing the ball six yards a play isn’t taking advantage of his abilities. Even with a QB who has yet to be determined, I anticipate Claypool will receive a lot more targets in the 2022 season.
Bigger Role
In year three, Claypool will serve as the definite number two receiver behind Diontae Johnson. In the previous year, Claypool took on the role after JuJu Smith-Schuster injured his shoulder in week five. With the departure of Smith-Schuster this off-season, Claypool will have a second season as the clear-cut explosive receiver on the depth chart. Having rookie wide receiver George Pickens in that line-up will take even more attention off of Claypool and allow for a more productive season.
He Plays in Pittsburgh
The beginning of this article alludes to the fact that Pittsburgh is one of the top destinations for young wide receiver talent. Playing the receiver position and getting drafted by the Steelers is almost like playing black jack and almost always being dealt an Ace face up; the odds are that you have a winner. In 10 of the last 13 years, the Steelers have had a wide receiver in the top 10 in at least one receiving category: receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions. In some instances they’ve had two. Though some of the success lies on the shoulders of the quarterback, the athleticism, intangibles, and game-planning side of the game have always shown to favor Pittsburgh’s receivers as of late.
I’m not sure if Chase Claypool is even a top-10 wide receiver in the NFL, but I know that in this upcoming season, he will have an abundant amount of opportunities to prove so. If he can continue to remain confident and make the plays he is capable of, then the sky’s the limit for him and the Pittsburgh passing attack.