CINCINNATI -- The quarterback-depleted Cincinnati Bengals Wednesday signed free agent quarterback Bryan Clark, the son of Detroit Lions coach Monte Clark.
Although Clark is a third-year pro, he has never played in an NFL regular season game. Until a couple of months ago, he had been the property of the San Francisco 49ers.
Before acquiring Clark, the Bengals were down to just one healthy quarterback -- rookie Boomer Esiason.
Five-year veteran Turk Schonert suffered a separated shoulder in Sunday's win over Cleveland and is out for the season. The Bengals placed Schonert on the injured reserve list Wednesday.
Fourteen-year veteran Ken Anderson is still ailing from a Nov. 11 shoulder separation, but is on the active roster and may be able to play again this season.
Clark, 24, was drafted by the 49ers out of Michigan State in 1982, but his pro career has never gotten off the ground because of injuries and the presence of 49ers star quarterback Joe Montana.
Clark suffered a severely sprained ankle in a 1982 pre-season game and a separated shoulder in a 1983 pre-season game. This year, he was cut twice by the 49ers. He was cut at the start of the regular season, then re-signed when Montana was injured and then re-cut when Montana returned.
Cincinnati head coach Sam Wyche is familiar with Clark because he used to be a 49ers assistant coach and worked with Clark in San Francisco in 1982.
Wyche needed another healthy quarterback as insurance because the Bengals are heading into a playoff stretch drive. Although the Bengals only have a 6-8 record, they've caught a slight case of playoff fever.
Cincinnati trails AFC Central Division leader Pittsburgh (7-7) by one game, but because of the remaining schedule, the Bengals may actually have a better chance of making the playoffs than the Steelers.
Pittsburgh, after playing Cleveland this Sunday, finishes the season at the tough Los Angeles Raiders. Cincinnati ends the season against New Orleans and Buffalo.
If Cincinnati wins its final two games and Pittsburgh loses once, then both teams will wind up with 8-8 records, but the Bengals would go to the playoffs because they have a better record against division opponents than the Steelers.
'We've got a legitimate chance to go to the playoffs,' said Wyche. 'There's pressure on both of us (Pittsburgh and Cincinnati), but the Steelers know they've got to play their best to hold on.
'They understand they can't afford to lose a game and they have to finish the season against a tough opponent on the road (the Raiders).'
As for the possibility of the Bengals winning their division and making the playoffs with only an 8-8 record, Wyche pointed out that the Bengals have been playing a lot better recently than early in the season. Cincinnati lost its first five games this year.
'If we win our final two games, then we'll have an 8-3 record for our last 11 games,' he said. 'We started the year with a new coaching staff, but now things have jelled. We have a much more comfortable feeling now than earlier in the year.'
