Once-promising Bills WR's resurgence cut short as he heads to IR

The Buffalo Bills have placed wide receiver Chase Claypool on the injured reserve list.

Anthony Miller | Aug 13, 2024

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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The Buffalo Bills have placed reclamation project Chase Claypool on injured reserve, putting a premature end to what was, at points, looking like a career renaissance for the 26-year-old.

Claypool has been dealing with a toe injury that kept him out of Buffalo's last several practices He did not play in the Bills’s 33-6 smacking from the Chicago Bears in their preseason opener.

Buffalo signed Claypool back in May in the hopes he could revive his NFL career and help give the team much-needed depth after the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Claypool impressed during OTAs as he was regarded as their most consistent receiver. He injured his toe early in the team's training camp, preventing him from logging much-needed reps as other receivers emerged around him.

The former Notre Dame wide receiver was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. He showed great promise in his first two seasons, posting over 800 receiving yards in each of those campaigns; he tallied an impressive 11 total touchdowns as a rookie.

Claypool struggled from 2022 on, with his on-field woes emphasized by off-field questions and concerns regarding his character. He was dealt to the Chicago Bears midway through the 2022 season, who turned around and shipped him to the Miami Dolphins last season.

Through four years in the NFL, Claypool has made 175 receptions for 2,261 yards and 13 touchdowns in 58 games. His placement on the injured reserve list at this juncture likely leaves him ineligible to return this season, as mentioned by WGR550's Sal Capaccio.

New NFL rule only allows two players to be placed on IR on final day of cuts to still return. Since Bills WR Chase Claypool and QB Shane Buechele have been placed on IR now, I believe that means they are ineligible to return this season.
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) August 13, 2024

While the depth at wide receiver takes a slight hit, Claypool, even if healthy, likely wasn't usurping Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, or Mack Hollins on the depth chart. He now, however, no longer factors into the roster equation whatsoever, giving a slight bump to the roster aspirations of depth players like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tyrell Shavers, and K.J. Hamler. Damiere Byrd and Deon Cain, who signed with the Bills as part of the wave of roster moves that saw Claypool placed on IR, also have an opportunity to carve out a roster spot.

Unfortunately for Claypool, he will not get his revenge game against his former team the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Bills are set to face off against the black and yellow in preseason action this Saturday.

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