Chase Claypool is an excellent wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, there is one problem, the Steelers are experts at drafting and developing receivers. No one is better. However, recently they have been unable to get consistently good tight end play. The tight ends since Heath Miller, can either catch and cannot block, can block but cannot catch, or they can’t do either. Eric Ebron is a prime example. As of right now the best tight end on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster is rookie wide receiver, Chase Claypool. So, the Steelers should just convert Chase Claypool into a tight end.
His Ability
Chase Claypool is a big man. He sits at 6’4” and 240 pounds. The average NFL tight end is currently 6’4.5” and 250 pounds. So, size-wise he absolutely fits the bill. However, despite his massive frame Claypool ran a 4.42 40 time at the NFL combine. That is excellent speed, even for a wide receiver. If you place that size and that speed in at the tight end position, no one will be able to defend him.
However, it is not his catching ability or his speed that would allow him to become a great NFL tight end. It is his blocking ability. Throughout his whole rookie season, Chase Claypool has been a blocker on screen passes and outside runs. Plays are much more successful when Claypool is blocking, compared to when he is not. Pittsburgh’s current tight end Eric Ebron cannot block. However, when he went down with an injury in week 15, and Chase Claypool was asked to fill in, the running game became significantly better. Imagine if he were to prepare for this, instead of just being thrown into it.
Too Many WRs
Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have four wideouts that could be WR2s on almost any team in the NFL. But the Steelers almost never use all four at once. Pittsburgh is so good at drafting and developing wide receivers that they have too many to play on the field at once. If Chase Claypool was converted into a tight end, all of Pittsburgh’s excellent receivers could be utilized. Claypool was once the best tight end in his own draft class, if Pittsburgh makes the change, he could one day be the best tight end in the NFL.
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