Bills put WR Chase Claypool on IR, add QB Ben DiNucci

Chase Claypool’s time with the Buffalo Bills may be over. On Tuesday, the Bills placed Claypool on the injured list as part of several roster moves, including the signing of quarterback Ben DiNucci, which means the end of the season. The team also placed QB Shane Buechele on the injured list, which means the end of the season, signed wide receivers Damiere Byrd and Deon Cain, and released wide receiver Bryan Thompson.

Claypool had hoped to revive his career in Buffalo after struggling in his previous stints in Miami and Chicago, but a toe injury sidelined him for most of training camp and he missed the Bills’ 33-6 loss to the Bears on Saturday.

In that game, Buechele suffered a neck injury, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed Monday. DiNucci’s signing gives the Bills additional quarterback depth behind Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky, as well as another option for Saturday’s preseason game at Pittsburgh. With Buechele injured and Trubisky unable to participate in practice for personal reasons, Allen was the only quarterback throwing passes at Monday’s practice.

DiNucci has appeared in three regular season games, including a start for Dallas in 2020. He also started 10 games for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL in 2023.

Byrd, who was most recently with Washington in the offseason, joins the Bills after catching 13 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns with Atlanta two seasons ago. His best season was 2020 with New England, where he recorded 47 catches for 604 yards.

Cain has now played 15 NFL games and was most recently part of the Birmingham Stallions, last season’s UFL championship team.