ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills placed Canadian receiver Chase Claypool and third-string quarterback Shane Buechele on injured reserve on Tuesday and made several other moves to restock their injury-depleted roster.
The Bills signed quarterback Ben DiNucci and receivers Damiere Byrd and Deon Cain, all to one-year contracts. Buffalo also released receiver Bryan Thompson.
Claypool’s bid to revive his career with Buffalo appears over as a result of a toe injury that led to the fifth-year player missing a majority of training camp. The Bills signed Claypool in May after trading Stefon Diggs to Houston and losing Gabe Davis in free agency.
Claypool, from Abbotsford, B.C., was on his fourth team in three seasons. The former Notre Dame star has struggled to match the promise and production he showed during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, in which he combined for 121 catches for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Claypool said in May he was seeking a fresh start after splitting last season between Chicago and Miami.
“I’ve learned from all the mistakes. I feel like every time you make a mistake or any time you have mishaps, you have to learn from them, you grow from them,” Claypool said, adding he believes he's been been mischaracterized as a selfish player.
“I’m not here to prove that I’m not what they say I am, I’m just here to be who I am and be a part of the team,” he said. “I’m just being who I am.”
DiNucci replaces Buechele, who is out indefinitely after hurting his neck in a 33-6 preseason-opening loss to Chicago on Saturday. DiNucci spent last season on Denver’s practice squad. He appeared in three games, including a start, with Dallas during his rookie season in 2020.
With Buffalo limiting Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky’s preseason playing time, DiNucci is expected to see action when the Bills play at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Byrd has eight seasons of NFL experience, including the past two in Atlanta, and has been used mostly on special teams. Cain appeared in 15 games split between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh over the 2019-20 seasons, and has been out of the league since being cut by Philadelphia before the start of last season.
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John Wawrow, The Associated Press