UPDATE: Never mind. The Buffalo Bills have placed former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool on injured reserve, so he won't be playing his former team this week after all.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers will take part in their second exhibition contest this Saturday when they welcome the Buffalo Bills to Acrisure Stadium in preseason Week 2. In the process, they'll also be welcoming an old friend back to town in wide receiver Chase Claypool, who makes his first appearance in Pittsburgh since being traded.
Of course, Claypool was the Steelers' second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. After showing some promise over his first two seasons in the league, Claypool reportedly became a "distraction" behind the scenes and the Steelers traded him in 2022 to the Chicago Bears in what was an absolute steal of a trade.
Pittsburgh ended up getting the No. 32 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and took cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with that pick, and the Bears got 18 receptions, 191 yards, one touchdown, and a pain in the rear end.
Claypool ended up getting traded yet again in 2023 after having issues in Chicago that reportedly included being "difficult in meetings and coaches had trouble getting him to buy into his role in the offense," according to NBC Sports' Josh Schrock.
The Notre Dame product had a nine-game stint with the Miami Dolphins, but it didn't go well. He saw just 51 offensive snaps in that span and totaled four catches for 26 scoreless yards before ultimately not returning to South Beach in 2024.
Now, Claypool is in Buffalo where, by all accounts, he has had a more positive attitude and is working hard in his quest to grab a significant role. The Bills have a wide-open situation at wide receiver, so it's possible he revives his career there with star quarterback Josh Allen throwing him passes.
The Steelers and Bills will hold a joint practice in the lead up to their preseason Week 2 game, but it won't be open to the public. Pittsburgh and Buffalo will then meet on Saturday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET.
