Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym
Canadian receiver Chase Claypool worked out for the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, per the NFL’s transaction wire.
According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, Claypool was not offered a contract after the workout, though he could be an option for the team in the near future.
Claypool was originally a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had a sensational rookie season with the team, making 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushing 10 times for 16 yards and two additional scores.
The native of Abbotsford, B.C. caught 91 passes for 1,171 yards and three touchdowns over another 23 regular-season games in Pittsburgh, though he was traded to the Chicago Bears on Nov. 1, 2022, in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Claypool wasn’t particularly effective with the Bears, making 18 receptions for 191 yards and one touchdown over 10 regular-season games. He was traded to the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 5, 2023, in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and made four catches for 26 yards with the team before the expiration of his contract.
The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in 2024, though he was released with an injury settlement after suffering a torn ligament in his toe. He has remained a free agent since. The six-foot-four, 238-pound target attended rookie mini-camp with the Green Bay Packers on a tryout basis in May, but did not sign a contract.
Claypool’s exclusive CFL rights belong to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who added him to their negotiation list on April 4, 2024. The Roughriders indicated last spring that they’d been in contact with Claypool, though it’s unclear if any serious contract negotiations took place.
His mother, Jasmine, is from Hudson Bay, Sask., which is located 400 kilometres northeast of Regina.
Claypool played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame, where he made 150 catches for 2,159 yards and 19 touchdowns over 50 games.
