The Buffalo Bills added to their sub-par receiving corps today by bringing back fourth-year wideout Kaelin Clay.
The Buffalo Bills continue to make moves this offseason, with the latest one being to bring back Kaelin Clay. Details of the deal have yet to be announced, but one can assume its minimal.
Clay was acquired by Buffalo last training camp from Carolina in exchange for Kevon Seymour. The former Bill played in four games for the team before being placed on waivers in Week 4 in an attempt to stash him on the practice squad but was gobbled back up by the Panthers.
The fourth-year receiver’s biggest attribute is his speed. He’s a former high school track star who ran a 4.51 at the NFL combine. His speed is an element that the Bills offense lacks with a month to go before the draft. The question that surrounds Clay is whether or not he can contribute offensively.
We have signed WR Kaelin Clay.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) March 29, 2018
Welcome back to Buffalo: https://t.co/kg1WPnQBLZ pic.twitter.com/9e8IWQhwoB
Clay’s stat line in 2017 was dreary. Including the playoffs, Clay made just nine receptions for 117 yards and had three dropped passes. In his four games with Buffalo to begin 2017, Clay made one catch for 28 yards before finding his way back to Carolina.
He was able to provide slightly more production for the Panthers offense with five catches for 57 yards in nine games. He also added three catches for 32 yards in the Wild Card game against the Saints. Certainly not enough production to pencil him into an opening week lineup, though.
Clay is a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers sixth-round pick. He was cut by Tampa after failing to register a single catch in four preseason games. Clay was then claimed by Baltimore where he was used as a special teamer in the return game.
This is a trait the Bills must like about Clay given his nonexistent receiving production at this point in his career. His six catches for 85 yards through 20 regular season games indicates that. His special teams capabilities, however, is what’s keeping him in the NFL right now.
Last season after returning to Carolina he eventually became the team’s primary returner. He averaged 17.3 yards on kick return and 8.6 yards-per-return on punts. One being a 60-yarder he took to the house against the Jets.
Just watch below to see the beautiful play.
Other than as a returner, there shouldn’t be high expectations for this signing. With Brandon Tate awaiting an offer in free agency, expect Clay to battle for the return job in Buffalo alongside Taiwan Jones.