Once-promising WR could 'shed bust label' with Bills

Chase Claypool’s road back to NFL relevancy runs through Orchard Park.

The now 25-year-old was, just a few years ago, viewed as one of the NFL’s more promising prospects, an intriguing 6-foot-3 target with a 4.42-second 40-yard dash whose blend of size, speed, and physicality suggested a long-term place in the league.  

And the Notre Dame product did show early potential, catching 62 passes for 873 yards while notching 11 total touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL season after being selected by the team in the second round of that year’s NFL Draft. He was on top of the world and, seemingly, trending further upward; in hindsight, the only place to go was down. 

Claypool’s scoring regressed in his sophomore campaign despite his scrimmage yardage increasing, falling from 11 total touchdowns to two. Character and effort concerns exacerbated by the emergence of rookie wide receiver George Pickens prompted Pittsburgh to move on from Claypool in the 2022 season, dealing him to the Chicago Bears at that year’s trade deadline.

The concerns wouldn’t be silenced in Chicago, with Claypool’s effort and commitment consistently questioned as the Bears’ offense continued to struggle. He caught 18 passes for 191 yards throughout 10 total games in Chicago before he was dealt to Miami in 2023, where he caught just four balls on seven targets.

It’s been a rapid decline for a player who, just three years ago, was widely looked at as a potential star. If his recent production trends continue, his next NFL opportunity could be his last; this sets the stage for a make-or-break summer in Western New York.

Claypool recently inked a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, joining a revamped receiving corps now sans Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. Though a long shot to crack Buffalo’s 53-man roster, Claypool’s opportunity is an advantageous one; he’ll compete with the likes of Justin Shorter, Andy Isabella, KJ Hamler, Quintez Cephus, and Tyrell Shavers for a spot at the bottom of the team’s depth chart.

The idea of Claypool recovering some of his former prowess with the Bills is not egregious given his demonstrated talent and Buffalo’s inexperienced receiving corps. This sentiment is shared by Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, who recently identified the Abbotsford, BC native as one of six NFL players who could “shed [their] bust” label in the 2024 season.

“Despite his regression, there's still plenty of reason to believe Claypool can thrive with the Bills,” Kay wrote. “The Notre Dame product should get ample opportunity in western New York. Buffalo's receiving corps is desperate for veteran contributors after the franchise dealt away No. 1 wideout Stefon Diggs and let playmaker Gabe Davis walk on the open market.

“Josh Allen represents the best quarterback Claypool has worked with. The battery now has a full offseason to get up to speed, valuable prep time the receiver didn't get at his last two stops after coming over in midseason trades.”

While Claypool finally taking that next step and latching on with the Bills is a fun hypothetical scenario, a hypothesis is likely what it will remain. Indeed, he flashed four years ago, but that was four years ago; we haven’t seen any discernible improvement from the receiver since, and given his previously reported character concerns, it’s a bit difficult to imagine him meshing with Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott.

He’s (more than likely) not going to usurp rookie Keon Coleman, third-year contributor Khalil Shakir, or the recently signed Curtis Samuel on the depth chart, and offseason addition Mack Hollins is likely a roster lock given his special teams ability. This leaves Claypool in competition with players like the aforementioned Shorter, Isabella, Hamler, Cephus, and Shavers for one or two spots; Shorter, Isabella, and Shavers have a leg up on the competition due to their familiarity with the system and special teams ability. Hamler, who was selected three picks ahead of Claypool in the 2020 draft, is a potentially more interesting reclamation project than his draft class colleague. 

Claypool will truly need to realize his former potential and contribute on special teams in order to stick on the Bills’ roster. If he falls short, his stint in Buffalo may end up being barely long enough for the Canada native to drink a Tim Hortons coffee.