Dolphins new WR Chase Claypool solves a need

Vintage McDaniel. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier gave up next-to-nothing to make this move, which was a reaction to losing receivers Erik Ezukanma (neck injury) and River Cracraft (shoulder injury) indefinitely. The Dolphins had to place arguably their best all-around player in offensive lineman Terron Armstead on the IR to open up a roster spot for Claypool.

With this acquisition, Miami now has every chamber of their offense loaded with a speeding bullets. Claypool joins fellow receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle – plus running backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane – to form a bona fide track team. 

"He’s fast," McDaniel said, as per USA Today's Mike Masala. "That’s an exciting opportunity. It’s kind of like Christmas, in terms of I don’t know anything."

McDaniel has a shiny new toy to integrate into the passing attack and one that brings a unique element to the team. Claypool is 6-foot-4. There is only one other receiver on the Dolphins roster who stands above six feet and that distinction belongs to Robbie Chosen, who is not a physical player. 

Although Claypool is not the best at blocking downfield, he can function as a go-to on fade patterns in the red zone for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins struggled to out-muscle the Buffalo Bills inside the 20-yard line during their Week 4 loss at Highmark Stadium.

Claypool is adept at going up and fighting for the ball like a basketball player in the post. Here is a sample of his physicality as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team that selected him in the second round of the 2020 draft.

Claypool does come with some tarnish. The Chicago media has described him as disgruntled and disinterested. Claypool had also been vocal about his role with the Bears, but the possibilities of what his raw speed and length could add to the top-ranked offense in the National Football League are endless.

"You have to stay steadfast to the commitment of making your team as good as it could be," McDaniel said, as per NBC Sports Josh Alper. "Sometimes things come across your radar that you weren’t even looking for, but, when you assess it, if it falls under the category this has a chance to make us better then you jump on that."

Claypool should be kept in line by McDaniel and veterans like Hill and Waddle, who are known to put in the hard work necessary at this level. He seems like an emotional player who wants to help his team and McDaniel will find ways to stretch the field with Claypool, which should help prevent safeties from dropping back into Cover 2 shells as was the case against the Bills. The underneath routes in the middle of the field will then be even more open for Tagovailoa to exploit with surgical accuracy. 

The Bills came up with a scheme to slow down the prolific Dolphins offense and a guy like Claypool allows Miami to lengthen the field. McDaniel wants defenders to move away from where Tagovailoa completes the bulk of his passes, which is the ultimate reason why the Dolphins made this move.