Wendell Smallwood isn’t guaranteed a spot on Eagles’ roster
By Ryan Quigley
Wendell Smallwood will have to earn a roster spot in training camp.
It’s hard not to get excited about the Philadelphia Eagles‘ improved group of running backs. LeGarrette Blount is coming off a season in which he scored 18 touchdowns for the New England Patriots. Rookie Donnel Pumphrey figures to be an electric playmaker both as a runner and receiver. And Darren Sproles? Well, he’s Darren Sproles.
Then there’s Wendell Smallwood, who, by all accounts, definitely showed signs of promise as a first-year player in 2016. But a roster spot in 2017 is far from guaranteed for the former West Virginia Mountaineer.
On paper, Smallwood had a decent rookie season. Despite the small sample size of just 77 rushing attempts, he still managed to average over four yards per carry and proved to be a useful tool in the passing game. Of course, he also had his fair share of rookie issues. He struggled mightily in pass protection and famously had a back-breaking fumble that cost the Eagles a win against the Dallas Cowboys.
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Smallwood’s identity is uncertain. Sproles and Pumphrey are both electric playmakers who can cause mismatches all over the field. Blount is a big-bodied back who can dominate in short-yardage situations. Smallwood doesn’t fit into either of those categories, which isn’t a bad thing, but isn’t necessarily a great thing, either.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the Eagles use Smallwood during the preseason. The 23-year-old back is likely towards the bottom of the Eagles’ depth chart at running back. With undrafted players Corey Clement and Byron Marshall also looking to earn a roster spot, Smallwood could be one bad training camp away from being demoted to the practice squad.