Chase Claypool has impressed his new teammates and coaches while saying all the right things during his brief tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Just barely more than a week after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears, though, the talented, enigmatic wide receiver apparently isn't quite ready to make his Dolphins debut.
Claypool is on the inactive list for Miami's Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers. Joining him as healthy scratched from the Dolphins' 53-man active roster are emergency third quarterback Skylar Thompson, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, offensive lineman Connor Williams, tight end Tyler Kroft and defensive tackle Brandon Pili.
Inactives for #CARvsMIA. pic.twitter.com/QJKV4HLrY8
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) October 15, 2023
Chase Claypool's strong early impression with Dolphins
Miami sent a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Bears on October 5th in exchange for Claypool and Chicago's 2025 seventh-rounder. He didn't play in the Dolphins' Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills two days later, no surprise given his scant time to acclimate to a new team and offensive system.
While coach Mike McDaniel and offensive coordinator Frank Smith praised Claypool's ability and approach after watching him in practice this week, they also alluded to his developing understanding of Miami's advanced playbook.
“He's a big fast wide receiver with a good catch radius,” Smith said, per Omar Kelly of All Dolphins. “He has a complete set of skill sets, and now we're just teaching him how we operate.”
A first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, Claypool was traded to the Bears for a second-rounder just less than a year ago. He had 14 catches across seven games with Chicago in 2022, catching four passes on 14 targets in three appearances this season before growing publicly crossways with the Bears' coaching staff.
Claypool is fully aware of the reputation he's garnered in wake of his tumultuous stints in Pittsburgh and Chicago. Though not going out of his way shed that “diva” label, the 25-year-old is confident the Dolphins will soon come to learn such a loaded distinction has been unearned.
“I know I’m a good teammate. I don’t have to do anything extra…I don’t have to do too much to try and prove that,” Claypool said. “Just be myself, and I’m excited about being around a new group of guys and showing them what I can do.”
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