Cedric Benson: Are Larry Johnson or Clinton Portis Realistic Replacements?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson is facing a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. While Benson is appealing the ruling, there is a chance he will miss Sunday's game if his ban does go into effect this week.

With that in mind, the Bengals worked out several running backs on Tuesday afternoon, most notably former Pro Bowlers Larry Johnson and Clinton Portis. In fact, Portis is reportedly taking a physical and could be signed soon.

But, will someone like Portis or Johnson realistically be able to help Cincinnati? I'm skeptical based on a bunch of factors.

The 1-2 Bengals haven't run the ball well with Benson in the lineup. They currently have the 17th-ranked rushing attack in the league, averaging just 96.7 yards per game on the ground. In addition to that, the team's passing game hasn't helped open up running lanes, as it is ranked 24th in the NFL at 204.7 yards per game.

If Benson does miss this Sunday's matchup with the Buffalo Bills, backup Bernard Scott will step in and be the starter. Though he probably won't handle a heavy workload, he is still the best of the Bengals' backup running backs.

That means that if either Portis or Johnson do catch on with Cincinnati, they will likely be used as depth chart fodder and no more. I don't expect either of them to see much action. Both guys have incredibly diminished skills at this point and it would be surprising if they even got onto the field.