Ex-Steelers WR Chase Claypool Hits Free Agency after Release by Bills

The Buffalo Bills reached an injury settlement with former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool on Thursday, according to the league’s transaction wire. Claypool is now off the Bills’ injured reserve list and permitted to sign with another club. Claypool may not sign back with the Bills until the length of the injury settlement has concluded as well as an additional three weeks.

Since it’s in the early portion of the IR process, Claypool could have been sidelined for the entire season. The Bills would have had to designate him for a return before roster cut-down day.

Claypool has been out for most of training camp with a toe injury. He went on IR a few days before the Bills came to Pittsburgh for a joint practice and preseason game.

Claypool’s career is certainly at a crossroads after fizzling out with Pittsburgh, the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, and now possibly the Buffalo Bills.

Chase Claypool was reportedly turning heads at Bills OTAs. According to Matt Parino of New York Upstate, he’s been turning heads at Bills OTAs.

“Claypool has been the Bills’ most consistent receiver during OTAs and is setting the stage for what should be a run at the 53-man roster,” Matt Parino of New York Upstate wrote in June. “He made the most explosive play of the day, catching a deep bomb from backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky during 11-on-11. Once he gets past his defender, it’s hard for the safeties to catch up and rookie Cole Bishop learned that lesson on the play, which would have gone for a touchdown in a game.”

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool in a game against the Baltimore Ravens, Jan. 9, 2022. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Claypool broke out in his rookie year with the Steelers in 2020, recording 62 receptions for 873 yards (14.1 average) and nine touchdowns. He also had two rushing touchdowns. It’s been all downhill since, however.

The Steelers traded Claypool to Chicago on Nov. 1, 2022 in exchange for the Bears’ second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. His tenure with the Bears went about as poorly as possible. In the 10 games he suited up with the Bears, the team went 0-10. He caught a total of 18 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in those 10 games.

After less than a year with the team, Chicago dealt Claypool to Miami, which was also an uneventful experience. Claypool recorded just eight receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown in eight games with the Dolphins.

Claypool called playing in Buffalo an ‘amazing opportunity.’

“Buffalo gives me an opportunity to work as hard as I can and make the people around me proud,” Claypool said, via the Bills official team website. ”

“I understand my situation. I understand any opportunity I have to help the team win, I need to jump on that opportunity. Special teams is one of those things. If I am on all four units, that’s amazing, because that means I’m helping the team in some way.”