The Bears have turned a corner since they’ve sent Chase Claypool home. The time has come for the Bears to send Claypool home for good.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement does not allow a team to essentially suspend a player with pay. Claypool has not yet tried to fight it.
At some point, he should. The Bears are essentially holding him hostage, keeping him away from the team and the sport while also keeping him away from any other team. They should, in fairness to the letter of the CBA, bring him back, trade him, or release him.
Would anyone trade for him? The flip-flip of future sixth- and seventh-round picks for a player who has fallen out of favor has become a thing of late, both with Cam Akers and J.C. Jackson. Would there be a team that would give up, say, a 2026 sixth-rounder for Claypool and a 2026 seventh-rounder?
Regardless, the Bears should not let this continue. Claypool should not let this continue. He deserves a chance to get a clean slate somewhere else.
The Bears are clearly moving on. It’s only fair to let Claypool move on, too.