Chase Claypool’s NFL comeback trail took him to Indianapolis last week, where the former Steelers and Bears wideout worked out for the Colts, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Claypool, 28, has not played since 2023. He spent the 2024 offseason with the Bills, but that run ended when he tore a ligament and a tendon in his toe and was waived with an injury settlement. Last summer, he said he was fully healthy and looking for a new deal, but no team came forward with interest.
The Colts could at least give him a look because the receiver room is not exactly overflowing with proven production. Alec Pierce is still working back from offseason ankle surgery, Josh Downs led the group last year with 566 receiving yards, and that total was still more than the rest of Indianapolis’ veteran receivers combined. The team also stayed light at the position in the draft, using only a seventh-round pick on Oklahoma speedster Deion Burks at No. 254 overall.
Claypool entered the league as a Steelers second-round pick in 2020 and flashed early. Over his first two seasons, he put up 121 catches for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 55.9 yards per game, 14.3 yards per reception, and 8.1 yards per target.
Things changed quickly after that. His numbers fell off over his first eight games in 2023, but Chicago still paid a second-round pick to get him.
That move wound up looking like a major win for Pittsburgh. Claypool managed only 14 catches on 29 targets for 140 yards and no touchdowns the rest of that season, while the Bears finished with the worst record in the league.
The Steelers, meanwhile, ended up with the No. 32 overall pick because of the Dolphins’ forfeited first-rounder and used it on cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Claypool’s 2024 season didn’t get him back on track. He played in just three games for Chicago, catching four of 14 targets for 51 yards before a midseason trade to Miami. He finished the year with the Dolphins with four catches for 26 yards in nine appearances, with most of his snaps coming on special teams.
After two years away from the gridiron, Claypool’s next step is still unclear. His spring workout with the Packers did not lead to a 90-man roster spot, but Indianapolis’ thin depth chart could give him another opening.
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