The Buffalo Bills were in need of a wide receiver last season to play a part as a key weapon for Josh Allen. With that in mind, they took a chance on Chase Claypool, who had wandered around the NFL after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was cheap and with upside, but he never saw action in the gridiron. Why? Well Claypool has stated the reason and it’s shocking.

Claypool wrote a brutally honest post on Instagram in which he explained what really happened. “It’s been a year since I’ve posted on Instagram, and almost nobody knows what actually happened to me. Signing with Buffalo was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me.” Claypool said. “I was the strongest, fastest, and most prepared I had ever been. I was playing my best football — working my way up from LAST (14th) string to taking first-team reps by camp.”

He proceeded to thank the Bills locker room, Josh Allen included, for the way he was welcomed to the team. ‘Mapletron’ went to explain his injury and how he is ready to get back on track. “I tore a ligament and a tendon in my second toe and have been rehabbing, working out, and recovering every day for the past year. I am back to being the strongest and fastest I’ve ever been and couldn’t be more excited to step back out on the field and let my actions speak for themselves.”

Claypool has incredible raw talent

Claypool is a free agent now but it’s likely that plenty of teams will take a gamble on him. After all, he is only 26 years old and he’s shown his talent is enormous, even if his career has derailed a bit. In fact, Buffalo could call him back given how well he was doing last year before the injury occured.

His first two seasons in the NFL were very good. Claypool surpassed the 800-yard mark in both years and in his rookie season, he scored 9 touchdowns. His ability to sprint and make great contested catches was impressive. However, he then started to fall down on the pecking order. Claypool is looking for redemption and some team will eventually give that chance to him. It’s on the former Notre Dame wideout to prove he still belongs.

Claypool has played with very good quarterbacks

Claypool has played with the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen. His best version was in Pittsburgh, though. He also played for the Bears when Justin Fields was the signal-caller.

As Claypool prepares to get his NFL career on the right path, he has to hope his quarterback-luck is still good enough to land with a good passer. In the end, the better the quarterback, the better the chances for him to succeed.

Entering the 2024 season, many analysts see the Bills as one of the strongest teams in the league. The team’s success in recent years has been largely driven by the exceptional play of Josh Allen, who continues to be the cornerstone of their offense.

While the Bills’ front office recognizes Josh Allen’s immense talent, they know he can’t carry the load alone. They’ve made strategic additions to support him, but now one of those crucial players is slated to miss the entire 2024 season.

Report: Bills’ wide receiver is set to miss the entire year due to an injury

Josh Allen has established himself as an elite quarterback, consistently elevating the Bills since his arrival in 2020. Despite his efforts, he has yet to lead the AFC East team to the ultimate success.

The Bills’ front office understands that for Allen to succeed, he needs top-tier weapons around him. Unfortunately, he has now lost a crucial teammate for the entire 2024 season due to injury.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills placed Chase Claypool on injured reserve. The former Steelers receiver sustained a toe injury on July 28. Although it initially seemed minor, the situation has worsened, sidelining him for the entire season.

“It’s a shame because [some new players have] missed a considerable amount of time — Chase being one of them,” HC Sean McDermott recently said, via ESPN. “It’s just hard to evaluate when the players aren’t out there, whether it’s Chase or anybody. And I know he’s fighting like crazy to get back, and we’re anxious to have him back.”

Unfortunately, placing him on injured reserve essentially rules him out for the entire 2024 season. The veteran wideout has experienced a career of highs and lows, and now he’ll have to wait even longer to prove that he still belongs among the top receivers in the league.

What is Chase Claypool’s contract with the Bills?

During his time with the Steelers, Chase Claypool was considered a promising receiver. However, his career took a downturn with disappointing performances for the Bears and Dolphins.

Earlier this year, Claypool signed a 1-year, $1.135 million contract with the Bills, including $25,000 guaranteed. Unfortunately, with his season-ending injury, he won’t be able to play this year, and his earnings will fall short of what he had anticipated.

The Bills have failed to succeed with Josh Allen. Despite the quarterback’s remarkable talent, he has struggled to find the perfect teammates to fight for the championship, and the club has had enough of it.

For this reason, the team’s front office has decided to add a new weapon to Allen’s offense. However, this player has not had a notable career, failing with all the teams he has been with.

Bills sign a new wide receiver for Josh Allen

Stefon Diggs’ departure left a huge gap to fill for the Buffalo Bills. While the team continues to search for a top wide receiver to replace the 4-time Pro Bowler, they have now added a new wideout to their offense in the meantime.

The Buffalo Bills have signed Chase Claypool to a one-year contract. The veteran wide receiver will play for his fourth NFL team after being part of the Steelers, Bears, and Dolphins.

Unfortunately, Claypool has struggled to find success with all the teams he has played for. Notably, the clubs experienced poor performances while the wideout was on their roster, leading fans to believe that he is cursed.

Before being traded from the Steelers, Pittsburgh had a record of 2-6 with Claypool, which improved to 11-4 afterward. With the Bears, the team suffered 13 defeats and no wins while he was on the roster, but secured two victories right after trading him. Similarly, the Dolphins had a 5-1 record before activating him, but experienced an immediate defeat upon his activation.

Claypool won’t be Diggs’ replacement, that’s for certain. Despite his first two years with the Steelers being decent, each tallying over 800 yards, his subsequent years have been quite disappointing. Across his tenure with three teams, he only managed 528 receiving yards.

Who are the wide receivers of the Buffalo Bills?

Following Stefon Diggs’ departure, the Bills do not have a top-wide receiver today. It is rumored that they could hire a free agent, but there are not too many options left for them.

As of today, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Curtis Samuel appear as the main receivers. However, the team expects Chase Claypool to have a fresh start with them and shine in the AFC East.

That’s especially true for players who were on a short leash already. Claypool has failed to live up to his potential in the league, and while he could’ve been right in his criticism of his team, he hasn’t earned his stripes yet.

Notably, he’ll now get an opportunity to finally take a leap forward and become a star, as he’ll join Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins‘ explosive and entertaining offense.

Bears Trade Claypool To Dolphins

“The Bears are trading WR Chase Claypool to the Dolphins, sources tell me and
Tom Pelissero,” reported Ian Rapoport. “This ends a prolonged drama and gives Claypool a fresh start. They have tried to trade him since last week after he was a healthy scratch. Now, everyone moves on.”

The Dolphins now have a starting WR corps consisting of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Chase Claypool. From a physical and speed standpoint, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Still, this might as well be Claypool’s final chance to establish himself in the league. He needs to turn the narrative around him once and for all, or he could be out of the NFL quite soon.

The Bears are in the midst of a major overhaul. The NFC North team has struggled to compete for quite some time, prompting the front office to diligently focus on constructing a competitive roster.

At the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, the Bears made a move to bolster their wide receiver corps and provide support for Justin Fields. They brought in Chase Claypool, who was expected to play a pivotal role alongside the quarterback. However, his time in Chicago appears to be coming to an end.

Chase Claypool’s relationship with the Bears is coming to an end

Last year, the Bears made a decision to acquire a promising wide receiver to enhance Justin Fields’ offense. When the Steelers made Chase Claypool available for trade offers, Chicago didn’t hesitate to pursue the former Notre Dame player.

The Bears traded a 2023 2nd-round pick to acquire Claypool. While some fans considered it a steal by Chicago, it appears that it was actually Pittsburgh who made the better deal.

Claypool has played only 10 games with the NFC North team and is on the verge of being released. The Bears ruled him out for their Week 4 game against the Denver Broncos and have done so again for their next matchup against the Washington Commanders.

According to some NFL executives, Claypool’s lack of commitment to the team has caused problems, including issues with teammates. The Bears are concerned that this may create tension in the locker room.

Even though the Bears want to trade him, it doesn’t seem like they will. They are asking for a 5th or 6th-round pick in return, but if there are no teams interested, Chicago will probably release him soon.

Could Chase Claypool return to the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Chase Claypool could return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it is highly unlikely that they will re-sign him, despite their need for a new wideout.

Fields complained about the way he was being coached earlier in the season. Then, WR Chase Claypool did the same, but the team took a different approach with him, deactivating him shortly after those comments.

With that in mind, the young quarterback recently talked about how the former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout made a mistake by throwing his coaches under the bus like that.

Justin Fields Says Chase Claypool Made A Mistake

“I think he knows that he kind of messed up by saying that, but I wish him nothing but the best,” Fields told Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s a talented player, and he’s a great person, has a good heart and works really hard. Definitely going to be staying in touch with him regardless of what happens.”

The ironic part is that Fields did exactly the same, but he wasn’t punished. Moreover, it’s not like they weren’t right to be frustrated with their coaches, but they should’ve taken a different approach.

Whatever the case, the Bears look like a mess from top to bottom, and if they end up with the first-overall pick again, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them moving on from Fields.

In the last years, Aaron Rodgers has begged for new targets for him to throw passes to. Unfortunately, the Packers front office has not responded so well and the quarterback is doing what he can with few weapons available.

Now, after Randall Cobb got injured, Rodgers asked for help and to bring a new wide receiver to Green Bay. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears stole their main target, but there’s an explanation why Chase Claypool didn’t join the Packers this year.

Steelers’ reason why they preferred the Bears over the Packers to trade Chase Claypool

A couple of weeks ago, when the trade rumors started, Chase Claypool’s name orbited the Packers front office. The wide receiver was no longer comfortable in Pittsburgh and they tried to get the best out of him with a move to another team.

Aaron Rodgers has asked multiple times for more targets for him. Even though it seemed like his messages are lost somewhere in the Packers front office, they are not. The team made everything to get Chase Claypool, but it was not enough the offer they sent to the Steelers.

According to Dov Kleiman, NFL insider, Green Bay offered a 2023 second-round pick for Claypool, the same offer the Bears made. Unfortunately for the Green and Gold, the Steelers believe that Chicago will have a better position in the next NFL Draft by ending with a worse record than the Packers this year and that’s why they preferred them.

After they were unable to sign Chase Claypool, it seems like free agency is the only way in which Aaron Rodgers will get a new wide receiver this year. Odell Beckham Jr. has been also linked to Green Bay lately and even the quarterback has adressed the possibility of signing the former Super Bowl champion this 2022.

So, even though Chase Claypool has failed to live up to the hype, there’s still a chance he turns out to be the dominant, physically imposing wideout some expected him to be. He’s been limited by poor QB play and his own character issues.

Claypool has drawn mixed takes throughout his brief NFL career, but the physical traits are there. His contract runs through the 2023 season, andeven though the Steelers claim he’s not going anywhere, George Pickens‘ surge and Diontae Johnson’s extension could make him expendable.

NFL Rumors: 3 Potential Landing Spots For Chase Claypool

3. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have a plethora of weapons, but Matthew Stafford has only developed chemistry with Cooper Kupp. Van Jefferson is still hurt, and Allen Robinson has been vastly disappointed.

The Rams have shown no hesitancy to make big moves and give up draft picks in the past. They added Odell Beckham Jr. mid-season last year, so they could try and replicate that formula this season.

2. New York Giants

The New York Giants could start the season 7-1. Brian Daboll has turned this team around, andeven though their defense deserves most of the credit, Daniel Jones is also having the best year of his career.

But the G-Men lack any sort of threat in the passing game, either because of inefficiency or injuries. Saquon Barkley has carried the load all year, but he’s injury-prone, and one-dimensional offenses won’t get you far in the playoffs.

1. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are the most obvious fit for Claypool or any wideout. They have an unproven, underwhelming receiving corps full of inexperienced players who may not be ready for the next year or so.

Aaron Rodgers is evidently frustrated, and the Packers have dropped three straight games. Claypool is no Davante Adams, but he’s a physical specimen that could benefit from playing with one of the greatest gunslingers in NFL history.

Six weeks into the 2022 NFL regular season, things have changed in Green Bay. The team is second in the NFC North behind the Vikings (5-1) at 3-3, and its biggest concern is without any doubt how to improve in offense.

Since Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling left the team, the Packers have lacked a wideout of their caliber. However, with the trade deadline looming around, it looks like the front office already has a name in mind to help Rodgers.

Rumor: Packers eye WR to help Aaron Rodgers

“A few general managers I’ve spoken to are certain Green Bay is looking for potential receiver help on the trade market. One player who makes sense is Pittsburgh’s Chase Claypool, who multiple execs believe was available in the preseason, though at a hefty price,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported.

Following an impressive rookie year in 2020, Claypool fell short of expectations last season. However, the now third-year quarterback just delivered a great performance in the Steelers’ shocking win over the Bucs, so his price could be on the rise again.

The Packers have draft capital to offer in return, as they possess picks in each round of the 2023 NFL Draft except the sixth. With Allen Lazard as WR1 and many rookies who have yet to turn up their game, it would make sense if they offer some of these selections in exchange of Claypool. They’ll have until Nov. 1 to work things out.

Losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling was a major blow for their offense. And as promising as the rookies have looked, it’ll still be a while before they’re ready to contribute on a weekly basis.

The Packers are losing ground to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North, and they can’t afford that. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 3wideouts they could target to straighten the ship.

NFL Rumors: 3 Potential WR Targets For The Packers

3. Tyler Lockett

Geno Smith hasn’t hesitated to sling the football down the field every time he drops back. But the Seattle Seahawks aren’t any good right now, so they’d be wise to offload some veterans to try and make the numbers work.

Tyler Lockett is one of the fastest players in the league, and one who could certainly thrive from Aaron Rodgers’ elite ball placement and arm strength. He’s set to turn 30 and doesn’t fit the Seahawks’ timeline, and he still has four years left in his contract.

2. Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool is an athletic freak and a physical specimen. He’s shown his upside multiple timesbut has been limited by poor QB play and some character issues. Maybe, all he needs is a change of scenery to finally live up to his potential.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Diontae Johnson to a contract extension, draftedCalvin Austin III, and seem quite high on rookie George Pickens. So, maybe Claypool could be had at the right price.

1. DJ Moore

DJ Moore has posted multiple 1,000+ yard seasons despite the Carolina Panthers’ revolving door of mediocre quarterbacks. And now that the Baker Mayfield experiment could be done, chances are they’ll just try and rebuild.

The Panthers are reportedly fielding calls for Christian McCaffrey and have already traded Robbie Anderson. Clearly, no one’s safe or non-expendable right now. Fitting Moore’s big salary could be an issue, but he’s got big-play ability and is a proven producer.

Pickett was clearly their best QB in the preseason, but Mike Tomlin wasn’t confident starting him in Week One. All that changed last week when Mitch Trubisky failed to move the chains vs. the New York Jets.

So, now that the Pickett era is officially underway, Steelers star Chase Claypool wanted to shut down the doubters by affirming his confidence in his new QB. Also, it’s not like they haven’t had multiple reps with him under center already.

NFL News: Chase Claypool Says Steelers Aren’t Starting From Behind With Kenny Pickett

“That’s what we’ve been working on in between periods,” Claypool told Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “During special teams, we tried to spot up, run through some routes, or just talk through some routes — see what we’re both thinking and then meet in the middle and try to get that timing down as fast as possible.”

“Some of us have had a pretty good amount of reps with him anyway, just because that’s how we kind of rotated the quarterbacks early on in camp,” Claypool added. “So, I think we’re not starting from behind too much or anything.”

Pickett Is Confident Ahead Of His First Career Start

Pickett knows not many people are confident in the Steelers this season. However, that hasn’t taken a toll on his confidence, and he’s ready to silence his doubters and prove that he’s NFL material:

“Everybody else thinks we’re underdogs. We don’t,” Pickett said, as quoted by ProFootballTalk. “We’re going to go in there with some confidence. We know how great we can be when we’re detailed and we execute at a high level. That’s something we need to take care of during the week or we won’t have a shot.”

“It’s the details, the little things, guys running at the right depth, I’ve got to be on time, give them a great ball and they’ll make the plays,” the QB added. “The line has been doing a great job all year, so I have a ton of confidence in those guys. It’s everyone doing their 1/11th and we’ll be OK.”

Unfortunately for him, the Steelers will be in for a tough matchup in his first career start, as they’ll travel to a hostile environment for a clash with the Buffalo Bills’ top-ranked defensive unit.