PITTSBURGH — Chase Claypool and the Pittsburgh Steelers avoided a worst-case scenario after the second-year wide receiver went down hard in the final minutes of Tuesday’s practice.
Claypool suffered a “minor ankle sprain” after landing awkwardly on the ankle and “should be fine,” a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
After going for a grab on a deep pass on the sideline, Claypool had to be helped off the field by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Eric Ebron, though he was able to put some weight on the injured ankle as he gingerly walked off.
It’s not the first time Claypool, a 2020 second-round draft pick, avoided a significant injury this preseason. He also had a hard landing after making a spectacular 45-yard catch in the Hall of Fame Game, but he didn’t miss any practice time.
Claypool, 23, figures to be one of the Steelers’ top-tier receivers along with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson after a breakout rookie campaign in which he recorded nine touchdowns and 873 yards on 62 receptions.