John

Clay

Clay will be mere stretch-run insurance with Jonathan Dwyer out for the year and Mewelde Moore battling a multi-week MCL sprain. Rashard Mendenhall will be the lead back, Ike Redman the pass-down specialist, and Clay No. 3.

Clay can’t fill Moore’s passing-down role, so the Steelers may go with just Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman as game-day actives against the Rams.

He was originally waived/injured, but the Steelers opted against keeping Clay on I.R. He’s now an unrestricted free agent free to sign anywhere. A massive but plodding power runner, Clay gained 41 yards on 10 carries last year, appearing in two late-season games. He may have a future as a No. 3 back elsewhere, after recovering from a torn quadriceps muscle.

Clay was carted off the field during Sunday’s practice with what was believed to be a torn quadriceps muscle. Undrafted out of Wisconsin last year, Clay was behind Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer and rookie Chris Rainey in the backfield pecking order. FB Jason Ford was signed to take his roster spot.

With Bernard Scott (knee) and Brian Leonard (ribs) both sidelined, the Bengals are left with only Cedric Peerman behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Clay isn’t a great fit as his power-running style is similar to the Law Firm’s, but this is confirmation that the Bengals are in the market for running back help.

Clay rushed 10 times for the Steelers in 2011, but never cracked an active roster after being waived twice last summer. This could be his last NFL chance.

Clay reportedly weighed near 270 during January’s Rose Bowl. By the Combine in late February, he was amazingly down to 231. The weight loss didn’t help him, though, as Clay barely broke 4.9 in Indy and was in the 4.7s on a faster track at the Badgers’ Pro Day. SI.com’s Don Banks suggests that Clay could draw late-round interest as a LeGarrette Blount-type “hammer-style back.”

Clay told reporters that he’s shed 30 pounds recently “due to a better diet.” Clay was listed at 248 pounds by Wisconsin and 255 by ESPN.com, so the weight loss is impressive. According to SI’s Tony Pauline, Clay looked “svelte” while approaching the podium to speak to reporters at the Combine.

Clay was hoping prove skeptics wrong after dropping 30 pounds. Instead, he fell flat with two painfully slow times. Clay has another shot to impress at Wisconsin’s March 9 pro day, but he’s taking on the look of a late-round pick.

Ex-Badger Ron Dayne tried convincing Clay to stay one more year, but that wouldn’t have been a wise choice. By the end of the 2010 season, it’d become clear that he was Wisconsin’s third best back, behind Montee Ball and James White. Oft-injured, overweight, and at times fumble prone in college, Clay still projects as no better than a middle-round prospect. The 6'1", 248-pounder packs plenty of power, but offers zero in the passing game.