Former Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool is trying to find a way back into the NFL, and it felt like an opportunity opened up when he attended the Green Bay Packers’ rookie minicamp this weekend. While the camp is mainly for newcomers joining the team and undrafted rookies hoping to latch on, veterans like Claypool often attend the camps to get another shot in the league, or at least earn a spot in the preseason program if they impress the coaching staff.
Unfortunately, that did not happen. According to SI’s Bill Huber, the Packers did not sign Claypool or any of the nine other receivers who were in for tryouts at this weekend’s rookie camp. After leaving Green Bay without a contract, Claypool may have officially hit rock bottom since leaving the Bears, and has plenty of uncertainty as he looks to latch on with another team.
Chase Claypool’s Comeback Attempt Hits Another Obstacle After Failed Packers Tryout
Claypool’s chances of getting a job with the Packers never seemed great. The Packers brought the veteran in as a potential depth piece to their receiver room, and head coach Matt LaFleur spoke about him positively as he reported to last weekend’s camp, noting “he’s been productive, and he looked like he’s in great shape” via Huber. But Huber also mentioned the camp has the feel of a glorified passing scrimmage.
“During Friday’s practice that was open to reporters, the 11-on-11 work was conducted at half-speed. Quarterbacks didn’t even throw the ball to the receivers. So, it was hard for anyone to really break through to grab one of the vacant roster spots, Huber noted.
In the end, Claypool’s tryout may have been more of a networking event. But he certainly needs connections if he wants to get back into the NFL.
Bears fans remember Claypool for his inclusion in an ill-fated deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the 2022 trade deadline. But there was a time he looked like a promising prospect. A second-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 2020 draft, Claypool caught 121 passes for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first two seasons in Pittsburgh but was traded to Chicago as his career headed in the wrong direction.
In 10 games (five starts) with the Bears, Claypool caught just 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, not even lasting a full calendar year in Chicago, before getting traded to the Miami Dolphins in October of 2023 for a 2025 seventh-round pick. Claypool only caught four passes for 26 scoreless yards after arriving in Miami and has been out of the league since spending the 2024 offseason with the Buffalo Bills before getting waived due to a toe injury.
Claypool sat out the 2025 season to rehab the torn ligament and tendon in his toe and is looking to make a comeback entering his age-28 season. But despite his younger age for a player in this position, Claypool’s time in Chicago was so bad that teams may have to be just as desperate to even bring him in for a tryout at this point.
It makes the Packers' rejection concerning for Claypool at this point in his career, leaving the former Bear at another crossroads as he looks to reestablish his place in the league.
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