Bills HC Sean McDermott comments on potentially re-signing WR Chase Claypool

As the Buffalo Bills look for more production from their receiving corps, could a reunion with Chase Claypool be in the cards?

Kyle Silagyi | Oct 9, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills have hit a lull when it comes to production from their receiving corps, as the unit has yielded lackluster returns through the last two weeks. Buffalo’s plan to generate aerial production through a Frankenstein’s monster-type group of talented, but unproven wideouts was perhaps always optimistic, but it hasn’t realized that optimism over the past two games; the Bills’ wide receivers combined for 10 receptions in Week 4 before catching a total of just four balls in Week 5, with Buffalo losing both of these contests in ugly fashion.

The Bills’ receiving corps woes have prompted many to suggest that Buffalo needs to add talent from outside of the organization, with the team being floated as a realistic landing spot for the likes of Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, or Romeo Doubts. Head coach Sean McDermott was asked not about adding any of those wideouts during his Wednesday media availability, but instead about a player who spent part of the offseason at One Bills Drive: former Pittsburgh Steelers pass-catcher Chase Claypool.

McDermott admitted that re-signing the 26-year-old would ultimately be the decision of general manager Brandon Beane, though he did note that had developed a soft spot for Claypool throughout his short tenure.

“Holistically, that’s a better question for Brandon [Beane],” McDermott said. “I have a ton of respect and love for Chase, I thought he did a real nice job when he was here. After that, that’s a personnel decision, at that point.”

Claypool was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, totaling 889 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns in his debut campaign. Widely viewed as one of the league’s brightest young pass-catchers entering his sophomore season, Claypool’s yardage increased from year one to year two (tallying 956 scrimmage yards in 2021), but his scoring regressed massively, totaling only two touchdowns.

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Character and effort concerns coinciding with the breakout of George Pickens prompted Pittsburgh to move on from Claypool midway through the 2022 season, trading him to the Chicago Bears. He never got his footing under him in the Windy City, catching only 18 passes for 191 yards over parts of two seasons before being traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2023. He caught only four balls in Miami before exiting as a free agent in the 2024 offseason.

The Bills signed Claypool in May, taking a swing on the demonstrably talented reclamation project. He quickly made an impact, flashing throughout the team’s OTAs as he earned praise from the coaching staff. He had positioned himself well to break out at training camp, but he picked up an early toe injury that quickly sidelined him; Buffalo placed him on injured reserve in mid-August before releasing him with an injury settlement a few days later.

The length of the injury settlement was not disclosed at the time of Claypool’s release, so whether the wideout even could re-sign with the Bills is unknown. His potential re-signing would be a nice story, but he likely wouldn’t have a discernible impact on the Buffalo offense, which is likely what the team is looking for should it look outside the organization for help at wide receiver.

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