Bills sign Chase Claypool, Smoot, Jones

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, Billzgobowlin said:

Three teams have given up on Claypool rather quickly.  Man what a beast if he could figure it all out. I'm hoping there is some type of plan for him to succeed

 

I mean miami bought him mid-season on an expiring contract for pennies on the dollar.  It didn't work out, but i feel like midseason trades are often challenging for players - especially younger players.  Having said that, his attitude issues or whatever they are, are slowly pushing him out of the league.  

[Eastport bills]

If Josh can resurrect Claypool’s career and make him a viable contributor than we might be better than the diminished receiving corps of the last few years.

[Back2Buff]

Which one of these players will retire before or during season?

[MasterStrategist]

Just now, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

I don't consider hollins a lock.  1.1M cap hit if he is cut vs. 2.3 if he's kept.  Factor in a shorter/shavers rookie deal and you still technically net cap savings.  

 

I assume this will be a dog fight til the end of preseason.  And i expect everyone other than coleman in that list of X receivers to be contributing on special teams.  

 

Players with PR experience - Coleman, Shakir, Hamler, less so isabella.  

Players with KR experience - Shakir, Johnson (RB), Hamler

Don't disagree, I just see Hollins in a "likely lock" category, not certain though.

 

I see us keeping 2 more big bodied guys on the 53 roster, between Hollins, Shorter, Shavers and Claypool, I'd say Hollins has the "highest floor" and proven S/T ability and run blocker.

 

I'd love to see Claypool return to rookie form output, or Shorter/Shavers make a big step...perhaps all or 2 of these happen.  But I'd put lower odds on that compared to Hollins at this point.

 

Hollins is a solid WR5, just hoping one of above or the likes of Hamler/etc show us something better as a WR4

 

[HappyDays]

3 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

The week following:  We HAVE to add a veteran outside/big WR!!!!!

 

After adding one:  Not THAT guy!!!!

 

You thought literally any WR is what people were hoping for? We need a baseline outside starter. Claypool is a longshot reclamation project. He is closer to #90 on the roster than #53. This signing doesn't change anything about our needs, and I think you know that.

[Aurelius]

Our WR stable.

 

 

[NORWOODS FOOT]

Re Claypool: yeah, okay, fine, but don’t pass up the chance to add a proven talent at boundary receiver if/when we get a chance.

[Mr. WEO]

3 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Ben was never the same after his 2019 shoulder injury.

same as what? His two career high seasons?  That’s beside the point. 
 

in 2020 he was a solid QB, the opposite of what the other poster claimed.  It was right in the middle of his career of output. 

[Mat68]

8 minutes ago, SWATeam said:

I think Claypool's best shot is to fill Gabe's role as the vertical threat.  Much of his early success was on vertical routes with Ben.

My point he is filling in for a large outside wr. Similar strengths and weaknesses.  Playing a few snaps out wide for Mia is a different animal with plays designed for Waddle and Hill.  Not being part of the gameplan but having a style of play that is. 

[bigduke6]

never heard of the other 2 guys so dont care really,  Claypool though,  has been around,  and theres a reason he cant seem to stick anywhere.   worth a flyer on him i suppose,  wouldnt expect much though.

[JROC INTEL]

5 hours ago, Chicken Boo said:

This might be Claypool's last shot in the league, so I expect him to give it his all.  

 

I like the signing.  

this just reminds me of Josh Gordon. Hopefully different outcome.

[Matt_In_NH]

49 minutes ago, Back2Buff said:

Which one of these players will retire before or during season?

 I say Deon Jones....Claypool wont make it past camp and I think Smoot might be a decent rotational piece.

[msw2112]

2 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Claypool, Hamler, Isabella, Cephus, Shorter, Shavers…we probably have the most talented WR room 5 through 10 on the depth chart, whatever that’s worth.  

 

I think the hope is that 1 or 2 of these reclamation projects (Claypool, Hamler, Isabella, Cephus) or untested younger players (Shorter, Shavers) will emerge, and if so, they have some great additions to the WR room at bargain-basement prices, which is all they can afford.  Odds are that at least 1 of them will emerge, much less so 2.

 

I feel like Beane treated the OL similarly in the past and it didn't work out too well.  He'd bring in a bunch of veteran guys who may have been past their prime, stuck behind someone else, or had potential that was unrealized due to injuries, hoping that 1 or 2 would pan out.  He ended up having to spend some FA money (Morse, McGovern) and draft capital (Torrence) to get it right.

 

Here's hoping it goes better at WR!  Arguably, keeping the comparison alive, Coleman=Torrence and Samuel=McGovern as far as the "real investments" and the other guys are anybody's guess at low prices.

Edited May 3 by msw2112

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Isn’t Fred Smoot like 50 years old?! 

[BillsFanForever19]

I'm starting to get a little worried. But it's not about the Claypool signing. It's about Michael Gallup, DJ Chark, and OBJ signing with other teams over the past two days.

 

Signings like Claypool and Cephus (and to a larger extent Hamler, as a mere Futures signing) to me are just Beane taking low risk, high reward chances in Training Camp with guys who have some traits, showed some talent at some point, and/or were high level Draft prospects that didn't work out elsewhere. If we signed Claypool now, on top of guys like Cephus, Smoot, and Jones - when we're sitting on like 3m (of which we also have to pay Draft picks with) - it's quite clearly for league minimum peanuts with no guarantees. 

 

Claypool, Cephus, and Hamler to me represent guys who are more likely to end up on the Practice Squad or outright cut after Training Camp than making the 53. 1 of them has an outside shot of sticking on the bottom of the WR depth chart by beating out Justin Shorter if we keep 6 or simply sticking if we keep 7 guys (as we have done multiple times under this regime). None of them represent someone we're going to start, in my opinion. That hole still exists - especially if Beane's words of Coleman "is going to have a hard time starting right away for us" rings true. If Coleman isn't starting right out of the gate, we really have nothing to put out there to start the year. We'd be looking at like Hollins and Shorter, Hollins and Claypool, or Hollins and Cephus on the Outside, mixing in Samuel on half or less of the plays (as he's not a true Outside guy). I see no way of that happening.

 

Even with the Claypool signing, i'd still expect we make a move for the top of the depth chart on the Outside after 6/1. The issue is, I tend to believe Beane when he says he's not interested in trading premium Draft picks for the "privelage" of signing a Tee Higgins or Brandon Aiyuk to a MASSIVE long term 120+m long term contract, this offseason. Though i'd DEFINITELY be here for it happening. And Courtland Sutton is reportedly off the table when it comes to a short term, more manageable trade - as with the Drafting of Nix, they don't want to leave the cupboard bare for him and they've turned down overtures. This is where the signings of Gallup, Chark, and OBJ become worrying to me. When it comes to what we need (starting Outside WR), the well is getting dry and could get dryer by 6/1. And if BIG trades and Sutton are out... oof.

 

Right now, we're looking at guys like MVS, Michael Thomas, Zay Jones, Mecole Hardman, and Allen Robinson representing the best of what's left in the FA market on the Outside. Guys like Tyler Boyd and Hunter Renfrow are great, but they're pure slot guys. They'd only serve to take Shakir, Samuel, or Kincaid off the field and still leave the hole on the Outside. I suspect that's why they're still available. Slots are easier to come by, are mainly filled on teams, and/or teams aren't interested in what they'd cost for that role. 

 

From that list, i'd lean towards an MVS or a Hardman. But maybe with the signings of multiple bigger names and higher talent level guys, relative to the bottom of the roster/PS, the idea is to bring a bunch of them in to try to find 1 guy who exceeds expectations from the pool of Claypool, Hamler, and Cephus -  as insurance for an older, oft-injured player at the top of the roster like Michael Thomas.

 

Either way and long story short - I expect Claypool and Cephus aren't the last WR's we add. 6/1 and Tre's money was always the spot and time where I saw us adding a difference maker and we haven't got there yet. I wouldn't panic until we're heading into Training Camp or Week 1 with the same WR depth chart. Though the well drying up before that money comes in is becoming a real and worrying proposition.

Edited May 4 by BillsFanForever19

[oldmanfan]

1 hour ago, HappyDays said:

 

You thought literally any WR is what people were hoping for? We need a baseline outside starter. Claypool is a longshot reclamation project. He is closer to #90 on the roster than #53. This signing doesn't change anything about our needs, and I think you know that.

Lighten up.

[GETTOTHE50]

1 hour ago, Aurelius said:

Our WR stable.

 

 

I actually like a core now more than before. I’ll take Samuel over Davis every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. And I’m looking forward to seeing what our rookie adds especially since diggs ran his course here. Shakir will have a break out year. 
 

James Cook is worth a 1st round pick in fantasy this year too. 

[Alphadawg7]

With Chasepool, feels like there is talent there he never lived up to.  McD always says, come here to be your best self, so maybe playing here and with Josh can turn it around for him.  However, I am skeptical he makes the roster.  Lets see if he surprises

[Scott7975]

6 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Hmm this is something at least. My worry is that it means the Bills are done with the WR room though. They are seemingly betting on one of Hamler or Claypool to restore their careers here with no backup plan in place.

 

It's not a bad signing. The Bills were never trading or signing anyone big.  That was a pipe dream. They are trying to get the cap back under control.

[hondo in seattle]

6 hours ago, Ben said:

Worth a shot right? Guys got all the talent in the world but has been immature. Maybe he's grown up some and been humbled?

 

The CBS article reporting the trade said, "there is a talented player somewhere inside Claypool."