Not long ago, Chase Claypool looked like exactly the kind of wide receiver an NFL franchise builds around. Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, Claypool arrived in the league with size, speed and a flair for the big moment. His rookie season delivered on every bit of that promise 62 receptions, 873 yards and nine touchdowns, including a four touchdown performance against the Philadelphia Eagles that had scouts and fans alike convinced they were watching a star in the making.
He followed it up with another strong year in 2021, adding 59 catches for 860 yards and two more touchdowns. Back to back 800 plus yard seasons before turning 24 years old. The trajectory seemed clear. Then, almost without warning, it wasn’t.
How it all fell apart across 4 teams
What followed Claypool’s promising start in Pittsburgh was a rapid and difficult unraveling that took him through four NFL franchises in less than four years.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2020–2022): After two strong seasons, Claypool never found the same footing in Pittsburgh. On Nov. 1, 2022, the Steelers traded him to the Chicago Bears in exchange for what amounted to a near-first-round pick, the No. 32 overall selection in the draft, which Pittsburgh used to select cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Chicago Bears (2022–2023): The Bears invested significant resources in acquiring Claypool, but the results were underwhelming. Across 10 games and five starts in Chicago, he finished with just 18 catches for 191 yards and one touchdown. He was traded again, this time to Miami, just 11 months after arriving.
Miami Dolphins (2023): The situation only worsened in South Florida. Claypool managed just four receptions for 26 yards across nine games with the Dolphins a far cry from the player who once looked like a franchise cornerstone. That 2023 season marked the last time he played in an NFL regular-season game.
Buffalo Bills (2024): Claypool signed with Buffalo ahead of the 2024 season in what looked like a fresh start, but it ended before it ever really began. He was hurt during the preseason, placed on injured reserve and subsequently released without playing a single game.
Another chance, this time in Green Bay
Claypool has not been on an NFL roster since August 2024. In the summer of 2025, he made clear via social media that he intended to return to the league but the 2025 season came and went without a single team signing him.
Now, nearly two years removed from an NFL game, Claypool is at Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, a development first reported by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. It is an unconventional setting for a player with his experience, but at this stage, an open door is an open door.
The Packers already have depth at wide receiver, which means Claypool is not walking into a guaranteed spot. The path from a rookie minicamp tryout to a 53-man roster requires clearing several more hurdles training camp, preseason games and final roster cuts among them.
Still, at 26 years old, Claypool is not without time on his side. What he may be running low on is opportunity. After years of trades, injuries and quiet exits, the Green Bay tryout represents one of the clearer shots he has had in some time to remind the league of what he once was and perhaps show that a version of that player still exists.
Whether the Packers ultimately offer a path forward remains to be seen. But for a receiver who once looked like an NFL future and has spent years searching for a present, getting back into the building is at least a start.
