Saints' 34-game hometown product retires from NFL after succeeding as 7th-round pick

Will Clapp made the most of his chances, playing in 66 games across 7 NFL seasons.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 3:51am

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Will Clapp, a seventh-round draft pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2018, has announced his retirement from the NFL after a solid career that included 34 games and 7 starts with the Saints, 31 games and 14 starts with the Los Angeles Chargers, and 1 start with the Buffalo Bills. Clapp, who was originally from New Orleans, played in a total of 66 games across 7 NFL seasons, an impressive feat for a late-round draft pick.

Why it matters

Clapp's career is a testament to the value of perseverance and making the most of opportunities in the NFL, even as a late-round draft pick. His story shows that players can succeed and carve out meaningful careers in the league despite not being highly touted coming out of college.

The details

Clapp was selected by the Saints in the seventh round (245th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft out of LSU. He went on to play in 34 games for the Saints, including 7 starts, before joining the Los Angeles Chargers for a couple of seasons where he started 14 of 31 games. Clapp then started 1 game for the Buffalo Bills in 2024 before spending the 2025 season on Injured Reserve after signing with the Saints.

  • Clapp was drafted by the Saints in 2018.
  • He played in 34 games for the Saints from 2018 to 2020.
  • Clapp spent 2021 and 2022 with the Chargers.
  • He started 1 game for the Bills in 2024.
  • Clapp signed with the Saints in 2025 but spent the season on Injured Reserve.

The players

Will Clapp

A seventh-round draft pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2018 who went on to have a solid 7-year NFL career, playing in 66 games across 3 different teams.

New Orleans Saints

The NFL team that drafted Clapp in the seventh round in 2018 and where he spent the first 3 seasons of his career, playing in 34 games and starting 7.

Los Angeles Chargers

The NFL team that Clapp played for in 2021 and 2022, starting 14 of the 31 games he appeared in during his time with the Chargers.

Buffalo Bills

The NFL team that Clapp started 1 game for in 2024 before spending the 2025 season on Injured Reserve after signing with the Saints.

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What they’re saying

“From the first to the last and all the ones in between thank you for being my rock! Grateful for an amazing career and excited for our next chapter!”

— Will Clapp (Instagram)

The takeaway

Clapp's career is a heartwarming story of a late-round draft pick who made the most of his opportunities in the NFL, playing in 66 games across 7 seasons and starting 22 times for 3 different teams. His perseverance and success despite not being a highly touted prospect coming out of college serves as an inspiration for other undrafted and late-round players looking to carve out meaningful NFL careers.