Ahead of this week’s matchup between the Patriots and Steelers, Bill Belichick gave an interesting player comparison for Pittsburgh wide receiver Chase Claypool.
The New England head coach compared Claypool’s skill set to that of his former superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski.
“He’s big, fast, with good hands. He has a big catch radius,” Belichick explained. “He’s kinda always wide open.
“It’s like covering a guy like Gronkowski. No matter where you are on him, there’s a place where he can reach and get the ball that you can’t.”
As a second-round draft pick in the 2020 class, Claypool reeled in 62 receptions for 873 yards and nine touchdowns his rookie year. His production took a dip in 2021, but he’ll look to pick things back up in Year 3.
Claypool got off to a lackluster start to the 2022 season in Week 1. In a season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he reeled in just four catches for 18 yards. He also tacked on 36 yards in the rush game.
Claypool and the Steelers will welcome Belichick and the Patriots for their home opener at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.