Bills Gamble on Chase Claypool in Revamped Receiving Corps

The Buffalo Bills are reshaping their receiving corps with audacious moves. Following the losses of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, they signed veteran Chase Claypool to a one-year contract after taking a chance on him. This is a calculated risk on a player whose career has taken a strange nosedive, a former second-round pick.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers, Claypool made a big impression by displaying his height and athleticism in a standout rookie campaign (62 catches, 873 yards, and 11 total touchdowns). But in the years that followed, his output fell off, and his stints with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears were similarly unsuccessful.

Clearly losing hope, the Steelers traded Claypool in the middle of the 2022 season. Still, he struggled even with the change of surroundings. Both the Bears and the Dolphins relegated him to the depth chart, making him an afterthought in their offensive plans.

The sheer talent that Claypool possesses is what makes his slide so puzzling. It’s obvious that the Bills are hoping that their offensive scheme and coaching staff can bring out the player who had early career sparks. For Buffalo, this is a low-risk, maybe high-reward play. Claypool has the potential to be a useful weapon in their redesigned passing attack if he can find his form again.