Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills had a gaping hole at wide receiver. The team saw Gabe Davis depart in free agency, signing a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars before trading Stefon Diggs for the Houston Texans. Depth pieces in Deonte Harty and Trent Sherfield also left in free agency, landing with the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings.
The Bills did add some replacements, signing Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and KJ Hamler. Alas, none of those players profile as go-to No. 1 receivers, but do at least elevate the depth at the position.
Buffalo does have high expectations for second-round pick Keon Coleman. Coleman, a Florida State product, has all of the tools to become a dominant, go-to No. 1 receiver in the NFL. Alas, it could take some time for him to get to that point for Josh Allen.
Even with Coleman in the mix, the Bills weren’t done adding pass catchers to the mix. On Friday afternoon, it was announced that they signed free agent Chase Claypool to a one-year deal.
Claypool, a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, showed immense potential during his rookie season, catching 62 passes for 873 yards and nine touchdowns. He was solid in Year 2, catching 59 passes for 860 yards and two touchdowns, but the relationship between he and the Steelers was straining.
Ahead of the 2022 deadline, Claypool was traded to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick. That has turned into one of the worst trades in NFL history, as the Bears saw Claypool produce 18 receptions for 191 yards and one touchdown in 10 games before trading him to the Miami Dolphins.
Claypool was reportedly not happy with how he was used in Chicago and was inactive for several weeks before the trade to South Beach. With the Dolphins, he appeared in nine games, catching four passes for 26 yards.
There is certainly talent to work with, evidenced by how much Claypool produced early in his career with the Steelers. Will the Bills be able to bring that out of him? It will be interesting to see what role, if any, he can carve out on what is a wide-open depth chart.
Do you want the latest news, updates, and rumors surrounding all sports? Click here. Make sure to check out our sister sites as well: NFL Analysis Network, NBA Analysis Network, Packers Coverage.
