Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool Healthy, Eyeing 2025 Deal

July 5th, 2025 at 9:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

A toe injury resulted in Chase Claypool landing on injured reserve last August. He was waived with an injury settlement by the Bills, something which allowed him to hit free agency.

The Canadian wideout did not land an opportunity in 2024, however. As a result, Claypool spent the year rehabbing in preparation for his next NFL gig. A recent Instagram post confirmed he is now fully healthy as he eyes a contract in advance of training camp.

“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,” Claypool wrote. “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.”

During his first two seasons with the Steelers, Claypool flashed considerable potential. The Notre Dame product posted 860-plus yards both years while totaling 11 touchdowns over that span. Things took a turn in 2022, however, with his Pittsburgh tenure ending by means of a trade to the Bears. The price Chicago paid – a second-round pick – to acquire Claypool proved to be exorbitant after he made just 14 scoreless catches in seven games with the team.

Following an unproductive start to the 2023 campaign, Claypool remained away from the Bears while a trade was sorted out. His arrival in Miami did not yield a notable role on offense, and to no surprise he was not retained last spring. Claypool’s brief Bills stint came about via a one-year, $1.23MM pact. A similar deal will be expected if he is to line up a gig in advance of training camp.

At the age of 27 (as of Monday), the 6-4, 238-pound Claypool could offer modest upside as a depth option for interested teams this summer. The Saskatchewan Roughriders currently own Claypool’s CFL rights, but his attention remains focused on securing another deal south of the border.

Updated Slate Of NFL Players On CFL Negotiation List Revealed

July 4th, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Canadian Football League has long used a negotiation list for its teams to acquire the rights to active NFL players. That remains the case in 2025, and after a few updates were revealed earlier the full list is now available.

A recent piece from TSN’s Marshall Ferguson breaks down nine of the most notable names who have been added to the list recently. These players are not assured of heading north of the border at any point in their careers, of course. The list merely dictates which CFL teams own their negotiating rights in the event they do attempt to play in the league.

Shedeur Sanders is among the members of the 2025 (NFL) draft class who have been added recently. His CFL rights belong to the Toronto Argonauts. Any time spent north of the border would certainly come as a surprise, as the fifth-round rookie is positioned to occupy at least a depth role with the Browns for the coming years. A path to the starting gig could also emerge depending on how the team’s four-man competition plays out this summer. Fellow quarterback Max Duggan – who has spent time in the Chargers’ organization and with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks – is also on the Argonauts’ list.

Other signal-callers who find themselves on the negotiation list include former Saints draftee Ian Book (who has made just one regular season appearance in his career) and New Mexico State/Vanderbilt product Diego Pavia. The rights to both of them belong to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, meanwhile, have added former Colts UDFA Kedon Slovis to their negotiation list.

In addition to Trey Lance, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have the rights to Canadian Chase Claypool. The former second-rounder flashed considerable potential with the Steelers, but an ill-fated trade acquisition on the part of the Bears did not pan out as hoped. Claypool, 26, was unable to carve out a regular role with the Dolphins in 2023 and missed last season due to injury.

Another Canadian on the list is Eagles safety Sydney Brown. The London, Ontario native’s rights belong to Toronto, although his attention will of course remain focused on helping Philadelphia repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2025. Fellow defensive back Steven Gilmore – the younger brother of Stephon Gilmore – has been added to the BC Lions’ negotiation list.

Negotiating rights can (and do) get traded in the CFL based on positional need when teams attempt to acquire players such as the ones listed above. The end of NFL training camps brings about roster cuts and, oftentimes, an influx of players north of the border during the middle of the CFL campaign. The current team-player pairings on the negotiation list will be key in determining where players who wind up becoming available land in the event they attempt to continue their careers in Canada.

Bills Place WR Chase Claypool On IR

August 15th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 15: As expected, the Bills have reached an injury settlement with Claypool, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. This will send the former second-round pick back into free agency, though the terms of the settlement will dictate when he can sign. This settlement will allow Claypool to play this season, but his stock has nosedived since some early-career promise.

AUGUST 13: Not standing out in a crowded Bills receiver competition, Chase Claypool will exit this derby early. Buffalo placed the big-bodied wide receiver on IR on Tuesday.

The Bills dropped Claypool from their 90-man roster and added wideout Deon Cain. The latter joins Monday addition Damiere Byrd among wideouts competing for back-end roster spots or practice squad gigs in Buffalo. Additionally, Buffalo placed quarterback Shane Buechele on IR. This move will officially bring Ben DiNucci onto the team’s active roster.

This does not necessarily end Claypool’s season. Depending on the nature of his injury, the fifth-year receiver can catch on elsewhere and play in 2024 via an injury settlement. But Claypool’s career has trended in the wrong direction for a bit. He has not been the same player since his initial Steelers seasons, and the Bills will continue to look for players to round out their new-look wideout group.

A toe injury sends the 26-year-old target to IR. Assuming this is not a season-ender, the terms of a likely injury settlement will dictate when he can join another team. Though, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg notes the former second-round pick has missed most of Buffalo’s training camp. The Bills, who made several free agent moves at this position during an offseason that featured Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis leaving, will now evaluate the likes of Byrd and Cain as part of an evolving receiver battle.

Buffalo added Claypool, Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to its roster this spring. Hollins is believed to be on steady ground, while Samuel is a roster lock based on the terms of his contract. Khalil Shakir and second-round pick Keon Coleman also will be regulars for this Bills edition, leaving the rest of the contingent to vie for backup gigs.

Claypool, who signed with the team shortly after the draft, is coming off an unremarkable Dolphins season. That came after an unproductive Bears stint. The 238-pound Notre Dame alum topped 850 receiving yards in each of his first two years, catching nine touchdown passes as a rookie. Maturity issues have dogged Claypool, who still totaled 451 yards during a 2022 season in which he fetched the Steelers the No. 32 overall pick in a trade. The Bears could only land a late-round pick swap in a Dolphins deal last September. Claypool caught eight passes for 77 yards in 2023.

Aiming to be the Bills’ third-string quarterback behind Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky, Buechele sustained a neck injury that will take him out of that equation. A 2021 Chiefs UDFA, Buechele who played at SMU and Texas, Buechele joined the Bills’ practice squad in August 2023 and received a reserve/futures deal in January. DiNucci is now the team’s third-string option.

Bills WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling On Roster Bubble

August 4th, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bills shuffled the top of their WR depth chart this offseason, parting ways with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis while signing Curtis Samuel in free agency and adding Keon Coleman in the second round of the draft. The club also acquired Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has had issues with drops in his career but who possesses the type of big-play ability that Davis has, which meshes well with quarterback Josh Allen‘s powerful arm.

Early last month, we heard that Valdes-Scantling appeared to be a roster lock. Unfortunately for him, that no longer appears to be the case, as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports that MVS “has faded into the background” and is not getting as many reps with Allen as he did when training camp opened (subscription required).

Buscaglia posits that the decision to have MVS work with the second and third units could simply be the coaching staff’s way of sending a message to the speedy wideout. Still, it’s a potentially ominous sign for a player who largely struggled throughout the 2023 regular season as a member of the Chiefs (despite some memorable highlights during Kansas City’s Super Bowl run).

Interestingly, Buscaglia says that Tyrell Shavers, a 2023 UDFA who did not see any regular season action last year, has outplayed Valdes-Scantling. Even Chase Claypool, whose star has fallen considerably since a promising start to his careeer with the Steelers, was getting more reps with Allen prior to sustaining a toe injury.

For now, the top four receivers in the Bills’ pecking order appear to be Samuel, Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Mack Hollins. Behind that quartet, players like MVS, Shavers, Claypool, Justin Shorter, KJ Hamler, and Andy Isabella will continue battling for a spot on the 53-man roster.

If Buffalo were to release Valdes-Scantling, it would incur $2.25MM in dead money, though the team has proven that it will not allow such an outcome to prevent what it believes is a necessary move. Indeed, trading Diggs to the Texans resulted in a dead cap charge of $31MM, and Buscaglia reminds us that the team cut tight end O.J. Howard before final cutdowns in 2022 — despite having signed him in March of that year — in favor of second-year UDFA Quintin Morris.

Bills Sign WR Chase Claypool, DE Dawuane Smoot

May 3rd, 2024 at 11:29am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills continue to be active in the post-draft free agent market. Buffalo announced on Friday that the previously-reported agreement with linebacker Deion Jones has become official. The team has also added wideout Chase Claypool as well as defensive end Dawuane Smoot, though. All three players are attached to one-year deals.

Claypool showcased considerable potential during his first two seasons in the league. Operating as a key member of the Steelers’ offense, the former second-rounder posted 1,845 combined yards and 13 total touchdowns between the 2020 and ’21 campaigns. Things have not gone according to plan since, however, with a trade to the Bears in 2022 not producing the desired impact.

Claypool made just 18 catches in 10 games with Chicago, and he was on the move once again this year when he was traded to the Dolphins. The 25-year-old Canadian’s Miami stint produced only four receptions in nine games, and the team is in the market for a WR3 upgrade. Claypool visited the Seahawks in April, but to little surprise that did not yield a pre-draft agreement. Buffalo will bring him in ahead of offseason practices and training camp and in doing so provide him the opportunity to carve out a roster spot.

The Bills’ receiver room looks much different with Gabe Davis having departed in free agency prior to the trade which sent Stefon Diggs to the Texans. Buffalo traded down to the No. 33 spot in the draft and used that pick on Keon Coleman, and the team followed up that move by signing Quintez Cephus. Claypool will compete with the latter for a depth spot in the receiver pecking order this summer.

Smoot is likewise headed to Buffalo not long after meeting with another team. The 29-year-old recently visited the Texans, but he will instead look to earn a roster spot with the Bills. Smoot delivered a strong outing in 2021 (10 starts, six sacks), but an Achilles tear suffered the following year hurt his market value. Playing out a one-year deal last season, he posted just one sack while logging a rotational defensive role.

Buffalo has Von Miller on the books through 2027, and the team has retained both A.J. Epenesa and Greg Rousseau recently. The former re-signed on a two-year deal before the latter had his 2025 fifth-year option picked up. Smoot will look to earn a complementary place behind those three returnees in Buffalo this season, his first spent outside of Jacksonville.

The Bills entered Friday with only $2.8MM in cap space, much of which will be needed to sign their rookie class. While none of the Jones, Claypool or Smoot deals will be particularly lucrative, they will nevertheless use up much of the team’s remaining financial resources available until the post-June 1 release of Tre’Davious White frees up more spending power.

WR Chase Claypool Visits Seahawks

April 9th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks have a clear-cut top three at wide receiver, adding Jaxon Smith-Njigba to join the long-running Tyler Lockett–D.K. Metcalf pair last year. They also recently picked up Laviska Shenault. Another big-bodied wideout is on the team’s radar.

Chase Claypool trekked to Seattle for a free agency visit, according to Cardinals Wire’s Howard Balzer. This marks the first Claypool connection to a team in 2024. The former Steelers second-rounder is coming off an unremarkable Dolphins stay.

Traded in consecutive seasons, Claypool managed just eight receptions last year. Despite suiting up for nine Dolphins games following the early-season trade, Claypool caught only four passes as a Dolphin. The 238-pound receiver has seen his stock crater after the Steelers dealt him to the Bears at the 2022 deadline.

Not too long ago, Claypool had made his way into Pittsburgh’s starting lineup and looked like another promising Steelers WR draftee. As a rookie, the Notre Dame product totaled 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns. He was not far off those marks in 2021, accumulating 860 yards and two scores on nine receptions. The Steelers received two second-round offers at the ’22 deadline, opting to go with the Bears’ proposal over the Packers’ due to predicted pick value. That in-season NFC North assessment proved correct, with the 2023 No. 32 pick (Joey Porter Jr.) coming the AFC North team’s way for Claypool, who has trudged through two poor seasons since a strong start.

Claypool became quite unpopular with the Bears, disappointing in his first season and becoming a distraction in Year 2. This prompted Chicago to cut its losses and ship the 6-foot-4 target to Miami in a pick-swap deal involving Day 3 2025 choices. Claypool did not move the needle as an auxiliary Dolphins option, and Miami is looking for an upgrade behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Seattle has Lockett and Metcalf signed beyond 2024, though each was obviously acquired before OC Ryan Grubb arrived. The team, which has Smith-Njigba signed through 2026, also still rosters 2021 second-rounder Dee Eskridge. UDFA Jake Bobo, however, overtook the MAC product as Seattle’s WR4 last season. Shenault may have something to say about that in 2024, though the ex-Panthers and Jaguars target was acquired primarily to return kicks.

Latest On Chase Claypool’s Trade To Miami

October 6th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

New Dolphins wide receiver Chase Claypool has now been traded twice under his rookie contract with both of the teams trading him away doing so with criticisms that have nothing to do with his talent. The former second-round pick out of Notre Dame will have a chance to start anew in Miami, but the most recent developments in his career lead to a few points of interest.

Firstly, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reflected on reports that came out about Claypool shortly after his initial trade from Pittsburgh to Chicago. The team had just used a second-round pick to add former Georgia wide out George Pickens. Additionally, the Steelers had just rewarded Diontae Johnson with a two-year, $36.71MM contract extension. The team was staking its claim on the pieces of the receiving corps it wanted to move forward with in the future, and all the while, Claypool was struggling to find where he fit in.

After a rookie season that saw him record 873 receiving yards for an outstanding nine touchdown receptions (and two more on the ground) and a sophomore outing where he nearly matched his receiving yards total while only catching two scores, Claypool struggled through much of the first few weeks of the 2022 season as Johnson and Pickens dominated the target share in the position room.

As he struggled, it was reported that there were internal issues concerning Claypool in Pittsburgh. He had reportedly become a “distraction” behind the scenes, and his trade was the result of weeks of effort trying to unload the problematic receiver. Those same vibes seem to be apparent in his departure from Chicago, where concerns about his effort on the field led to him being a healthy scratch from games as the Bears worked to offload him.

Many of the sources reporting these internal issues seem to hold the opinion that, at only 25 years old, Claypool has all the time in the world to turn his career around. He clearly has the talent that he displayed in his rookie year and should still be able to access it. Even better, he’s now landed in what could be a perfect opportunity to turn things around.

In Miami, Claypool becomes a low-risk, high-reward prospect for a team that can afford to swing and miss. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel even told the media that the team “wasn’t looking for another wide receiver, but this was a good chance to pounce on (an) opportunity that presented itself,” according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

To support McDaniel’s claim, Miami leads the league in total offense by a wide margin, thanks in large part to their league-leading 1,337 passing yards to date, which is even more than the two teams who have already played five games this season. Last year, the team’s top two wideouts, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, combined for 3,066 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns. This year, they added All-Pro return specialist and slot receiver Braxton Berrios, as well. Clearly, the team is well-stocked at the wide receiver position.

So, why not take a shot on Claypool for such a low asking price? Claypool, at 6-foot-4, adds a body type not present in the corps’ top three listed above, as none of Hill, Waddle, or Berrios even reach 5-foot-11. Claypool also doesn’t lack for top-end speed, an aspect of the game that the Dolphins clearly covet. The door is wide open for Claypool to walk through. He’s once again with a contending franchise and should be fighting for his life for his next NFL contract. Miami could be the perfect place to get it done.

This does seem to bring up some questions about the other big receiver in the corps, Cedrick Wilson. Miami signed him to a three-year, $22.8M contract last season before he got outplayed by Trent Sherfield for the WR3 spot. It was even reported in the offseason that the team was willing to trade Wilson. He’s continued to struggle to find the field this year, as well. With a potentially more capable big body in Claypool coming in, the Dolphins might view Wilson as even more expendable and look to find a trade partner who might reimburse their lost sixth-round pick.

Regardless, Claypool heads to South Beach with the opportunity to revive his flailing NFL career. He’ll have to work hard to find snaps behind Hill, Waddle, and Berrios, but his big frame provides him with the chance to earn some situational snaps and eventually expand his role. Miami may be his last chance to get himself together and stay in the NFL.

Bears Trade WR Chase Claypool To Dolphins

October 6th, 2023 at 9:48am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chase Claypool situation has come to a resolution. The Bears are trading the contract-year wideout to the Dolphins, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports Chicago will send Claypool and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Miami for a sixth-rounder in the same year. The deal is now official.

Claypool was a healthy scratch in Week 4, having been told to remain away from the team while a trade could be sought out. That approach continued through last night’s game against the Commanders, which saw the Bears snap their 14-game losing streak. Having repeatedly sat the former second-rounder, it was clear the Bears would move on in some fashion, though many around the league expected Claypool to be waived. Instead, he will now head to South Beach with the Bears clearing the remaining $2.2MM he is due this year from their books.

Chicago sent a 2023 second-rounder to Pittsburgh less than one year ago in the hopes of boosting their passing attack and giving Claypool a fresh start. The 25-year-old Canadian had underwhelmed in his third Steelers campaign after posting 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns over his first two. Things did not go according to plan in the Windy City, however, with Claypool amassing a statline of 18-191-1 in 10 games with the Bears. The pick sent to Pittsburgh (No. 32 overall) was ultimately used on corner Joey Porter Jr.

Miami already boasts a hugely effective WR tandem in the form of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the team has been in search of depth. Both Erik Ezukanma and River Cracraft recently suffered injuries which will sideline them for an extended stretch, so Claypool will join Robbie Chosen as players the Dolphins will take a flier on in the hopes of providing career stability. The latter signed to Miami’s active roster last week to help fill the vacancy created by Ezukanma and Cracraft’s absence.

CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes that one other team expressed interest in trading for Claypool, who is set to hit free agency in March. The Bears used this past weekend to decide on a final course of action with the Notre Dame alum, which has produced an underwhelming trade return to no surprise. Claypool’s value has suffered given his lack of production, issues related to attitude and effort and his status as a rental for the remainder of the campaign. It will be interesting to see what role he is able to carve out for himself in Miami.

The Claypool gamble has proven to be a disappointment, something Bears general manager Ryan Poles admitted when speaking publicly about the situation. Confirming that a separation was imminent, he took to ESPN 1000’s pregame radio show last night to express regret for the way things played out.

“You’re always disappointed in this situation, and it’s definitely something I take ownership of,” Poles said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “The right thought process was there, and I feel comfortable with that. Unfortunately it didn’t work out and we were hoping for him to be a little bit more productive and be someone that could help us take it to the next level… I think Chase is going to learn from this situation, we all will, and I wish him luck moving forward throughout his career.”

Bears Expected To Waive WR Chase Claypool?

October 4th, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chase Claypool situation seems destined to end with a move out of Chicago. The Bears may not be able to find a trade partner for the disgruntled wideout, however, and he may wind up on the waiver wire as a result.

Since asking Claypool to remain away from the team in Week 4, the Bears have been seeking a deal which will send him elsewhere. No takers have emerged yet, and the 25-year-old will not take part in Chicago’s contest against Washington tomorrow. That decision is expected by personnel around the league to soon be followed by Claypool being waived, as noted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

With less than four years of accrued time in the league, the former second-rounder would not be able to immediately hit free agency as is the case with vested veterans. Fowler adds that the Bears may still be able to land a late-round pick in a swap for Claypool, whose value is obviously at a low point. The 25-year-old publicly criticized Chicago’s offense prior to being made a healthy scratch this past Sunday, and his tenure in the Windy City has not gone according to plan. Claypool has averaged less than two catches and just over 19 yards per game across 10 contests in Chicago.

The Steelers dealt the Notre Dame alum to the the Bears last season as part of the latter team’s trade deadline efforts to add to their passing attack. That goal has since included the D.J. Moore acquisition as part of the deal involving the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, but the Bears have still struggled to produce through the air this season (215 passing yards per game). Parting ways with Claypool will likely not make a noticeable impact on that average.

The latter is set to hit free agency in March, so the following weeks and months will go a long way in determining his value on the open market. Claypool’s underwhelming Steelers exit, which seems destined to be followed by a similar one with the Bears, will no doubt give many teams pause when considering a waiver claim if his situation reaches that point. If he were to go unclaimed, Claypool would be free to sign with any team for the rest of the campaign.

Chase Claypool Will Not Be With Bears For Week 5

October 2nd, 2023 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chase Claypool situation in Chicago has moved to a point the team will prepare for its Week 5 game without him. The disgruntled wide receiver will not be in the building ahead of the Bears’ preparations for their Commanders tilt, Matt Eberflus said Monday.

Eberflus’ update (courtesy of ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan) provides a different stance compared to Sunday, when the second-year head coach said the 2022 trade acquisition is expected to remain with the team going forward. Several hours later, it looks like a separation is imminent.

These standoffs do not necessarily mean the end of the line, however. Last year, both Brandin Cooks and Cam Akers went from being at odds with the Texans and Rams, respectively, to finishing out the seasons back as starters for their teams. (Though, both were dealt this year.) Claypool, however, does not have the same type of role with the Bears. The ex-Steelers second-rounder has underwhelmed since being dealt to the Bears at the 2022 deadline. The Bears made him a healthy scratch for their Week 4 game against the Broncos, and a Sunday-morning report pointed to a trade attempt taking place.

While the Bears were believed to be asking for a fifth- or sixth-round pick for the bulky wideout, this particular asset’s value has tanked since he was last on the trade block. In 10 Bears games, Claypool has caught just 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. He has four grabs for 51 yards this season.

Bears coaches criticized Claypool for his effort in Week 1, and GM Ryan Poles issued an ultimatum of sorts after that showing. Claypool then caught three passes for 36 yards in Week 2 but was not a factor in the Bears’ Week 3 loss in Kansas City. In the same vein, Claypool responded in the affirmative when asked if the coaching staff was putting him in the best position to succeed. While this is not a good look, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns added that Claypool’s benching did not solely stem from his comments about the staff, pointing to Eberflus mentioning meetings, practices and walkthroughs after the game.

The Bears surrendered the No. 32 overall pick for Claypool last year. The Packers also sent the Steelers a second-round offer, as they attempted to make an 11th-hour upgrade on their pass-catching corps to help their final Aaron Rodgers-led offense. Pittsburgh preferred Chicago’s pick, believing it would come in higher. That bet proved prescient; the Bears have not won a game since acquiring Claypool. Sunday’s 21-point collapse marked Chicago’s 14th straight loss.

The former Notre Dame standout is tied to a $2.99MM base salary this season. It should not be considered out of a question other teams still value Claypool, but this Bears regime will not recoup anything close to the same level of draft asset it parted with to bring in the 6-foot-4 target nearly a year ago.

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