Chase Claypool is in the midst of trying to earn a roster spot with the Green Bay Packers at their rookie minicamp, but head coach Matt LaFleur seems to like what he has seen from the former Chicago Bears veteran wide receiver.
The Packers invited Claypool — a 2020 second-round pick — to participate in their two-day rookie minicamp from May 1-2 on a tryout basis, offering the controversial 27-year-old receiver an opportunity to potentially resurrect his NFL career with them in 2026.
Claypool has not played in an NFL game since his disastrous 2023 season, during which he forced his way out of Chicago with attitude and effort problems after just four games and landed at the bottom of the Miami Dolphins‘ receiving depth chart. He caught just eight of his 21 passing targets for 77 yards and a touchdown in his 12 games that season.
Before his trade to Chicago in 2022, though, Claypool seemed like an emergent star at the receiver position during his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, tallying 121 receptions for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns — nine of which he scored as a rookie.
He also had trade interest from the Packers before the Steelers sent him to the Bears.
Now, the Packers are getting another look at Claypool — and LaFleur seems impressed.
“I mean, you guys saw him, right?” LaFleur said May 1 after the first day of minicamp. “He’s certainly had great film out there. He’s been productive, and he looks like he’s in great shape. And he’s big, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Packers Could Use More Depth for WR Room in 2026
Claypool’s invitation to the Packers’ rookie minicamp catches eyes for a few reasons.
Not only did Claypool have a drama-filled stint with their rival Bears in 2023, but the Packers also had prior interest in acquiring him from the Steelers before they traded him to Chicago. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Packers offered a second-round pick and a late-rounder for Claypool but lost out because the Steelers believed — correctly — that the second-round offer from the Bears would end up as a better pick.
In the end, the Steelers walked away with the No. 32 overall pick (top of the second round due to the Dolphins losing their first-round pick in 2023) from their deal with the Bears, while the Packers’ second-round selection ended up being No. 42 overall.
Years later, though, Claypool could be an enticing addition for the Packers’ roster.
Claypool has not played in an NFL game since logging 13 total snaps in the Dolphins’ wild-card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on January 13, 2024. Nevertheless, he showed immense promise as a pass-catcher during his previous seasons with the Steelers, even when his work ethic, mental lapses and buy-in raised questions about his reliability.
If the Packers believe Claypool has returned to the league with the right mindset, they stand to lose little by rostering him through the spring and into July’s training camp. The best version of Claypool could also push for a depth role in the rotation behind Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden — the presumptive focal points.
Skyy Moore and Savion Williams, a 2025 third-round pick, are the leading candidates for rotational receiver roles, but Moore is far from a lock to make the roster. Even if he does, the Packers could keep six receivers, which would open the door for Claypool.
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