Colts Work Out WR Chase Claypool

Claypool, 28, has not played since 2023. He signed with the Bills during the 2024 offseason, but was waived with an injury settlement after tearing a ligament and a tendon in his toe. He declared he was fully healthy and seeking a new deal last summer, but did not receive any NFL interest.

However, the Colts are somewhat thin on proven receiver talent with Alec Pierce still recovering from offseason ankle surgery. No. 2 wideout Josh Downs had just 566 receiving yards last year, which is still more than the rest of the team’s veteran receivers combined. Indianapolis declined to use much draft capital on the position this year, either, spending only a seventh-round pick (No. 254 overall) on Oklahoma speedster Deion Burks.

Claypool, originally a Steelers second-round pick in 2020, made 121 catches for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns across his first two NFL seasons, good for 55.9 yards per game, 14.3 yards per reception, and 8.1 yards per target. Those numbers dropped precipitously across his first eight games in 2023, but the Bears came calling with a second-round pick nonetheless.

The deal turned out to be a steal for Pittsburgh. Claypool caught just 14 of his 29 targets for 140 yards and zero touchdowns over the rest of the season, and Chicago finished with the worst record in the league. The Steelers ended up with the No. 32 overall pick – as a result of the Dolphins’ forfeited first-rounder – which they used on star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The following year, Claypool appeared in just three games for the Bears, catching just four of his 14 targets for 51 yards before a midseason trade to the Dolphins. He closed out the year in Miami with four catches for 26 yards across nine appearance with most of his playing time coming on special teams.

After two years away from the gridiron, it is hard to know what to expect from Claypool. His audition in Green Bay this spring did not impress the Packers enough to offer him a 90-man roster spot, but his body of work may carry more weight in a thin Colts receiving room.