The Chicago Bears are finally getting some pay-off for their failed experiment with former wide receiver Chase Claypool ahead of the 2024 season.
According to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns, the Bears are trading away the 2025 sixth-round pick they received from the Miami Dolphins for Claypool to acquire defensive tackle Chris Williams and a 2025 seventh-rounder from the Cleveland Browns.
The 26-year-old Williams is not a flashy addition for Chicago. The 6-foot-3, 302-pound interior defender has recorded just six total tackles in 13 career games and did not play at all during the 2023 season, spending the final month on the Browns’ practice squad.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus described the team’s defensive tackle depth as a “concern” after their preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, though, and suggested a move could be coming as the team worked on its 53-man roster cuts.
Now, Eberflus reunites with a defensive tackle who played his only games under him when he served as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021.
The Bears have now traded two of their three 2025 sixth-round picks in the past two days, giving up their first for Seattle Seahawks pass rusher Darrell Taylor on August 23. While it remains unclear which pick the Bears traded to the Seahawks, it was likely their own selection as their other pick — the conditional sixth-rounder they received from the Pittsburgh Steelers for Justin Fields — can still become a fourth-rounder.
How Much Time Will Zacch Pickens Miss for Bears?
The Bears did not add much depth to their interior defensive line during the 2024 offseason. They signed veteran Byron Cowart — whom Eberflus shouted out after their preseason win against the Chiefs — and added Keith Randolph Jr. as a UDFA following the 2024 NFL draft. Otherwise, their plan mostly hinged on 2023 second-round pick Gervon Dexter Sr. and 2023 third-rounder Zacch Pickens taking the next steps in 2024.
Unfortunately for them, Pickens suffered an unspecific injury during the Bears’ final week of training camp and did not play in their preseason finale against the Chiefs. His status is now in question for Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans on September 8, a fact that underscores their roster’s need for additional defensive tackle depth.
If Pickens cannot suit up in Week 1, the Bears will have to depend even more on growth from Dexter and veteran Andrew Billings, whom they signed to a two-year extension in the middle of the 2023 season. Cowart could make the roster as their fourth option at the position; though, the Bears’ trade for Williams implies he will also make the team.
Williams did look good in his limited preseason action for the Browns. He notched two pressures and two quarterback hits against the Green Bay Packers in their first game, then added two more pressures and two sacks in the second game against Minnesota.
For his efforts, Williams received a strong overall grade (80.1) from Pro Football Focus.
Bears Waive Rookie Keith Randolph Jr. After Trade
The Bears could still take a few different approaches to constructing their defensive tackle position for the 2024 season. If they want to stick out with four, then Cowart is likely the odd man out behind Dexter, Billings, Pickens and Williams. They could also just keep five and include Cowart, at least until Pickens to cleared from his injury.
One name who won’t make the Bears’ 53-man roster, though, is Randolph.
The Bears officially waived Randolph — an undrafted rookie out of Illinois — from their roster on August 24 shortly after announcing their trade for Williams. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive tackle had been one of their most notable UDFA signings in the spring after he recorded 159 tackles, 10 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss with the Illini.
The Bears could still look to re-sign Randolph to their practice squad for the 2024 season, but they must first wait to see if he clears the waiver wire following the NFL’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline, which is set for 4 p.m. Eastern Time on August 27.
