Philadelphia Eagles: Corey Clement must step up now

Running back Corey Clement now finds himself in an interesting position with the Philadelphia Eagles. Everything is right in front of him for the taking.

Corey Clement’s 22-yard touchdown catch over three New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII will be etched into the minds of Philadelphia Eagles fans for years to come.

His receiving performance on the biggest stage of the year was reminiscent of days past when former Eagles great Brian Westbrook used to haul in passes from out of the backfield. Okay, it may be a bit of a stretch to compare Clement to Westbrook just yet, but his receiving numbers that night were “Westbrookish”.

Try four receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown on for size. Sure, the rushing yards weren’t there, but neither were the touches (3 rushes, 8-yards).

Coming off the high of a Super Bowl victory can make any player a tad complacent, but Clement’s focus is on earning more playing time.

Let’s go straight to the source.

Speaking to ABC News in Philadelphia, Clement put everyone on notice that he has his eyes on being the top-back in Philly.

"Everybody wants to be a lead back. I’m all for it."

Although that spot may be cemented by Jay Ajayi, the backup role is right there for the taking.

With the departure of LeGarrette Blount, who left via free agency for the Detroit Lions, the Eagles are looking for a solid option for the number-two role.

Darren Sproles is still on the roster, but at 35 and coming off an ACL tear, there’s no way to tell how effective he’ll be. Wendell Smallwood is also returning and is, no doubt, coming in to compete for more playing time, as is newcomer Matt Jones. Donnel Pumphrey is back as well, but at this moment, he may not pose much of a threat.

Here’s a quick look into the running back meeting room.

Although Smallwood probably has just as much of a chance as Clement and poses the most current threat, the biggest question mark is Jones. The former third-round pick hasn’t seemed to have found his rhythm in the league just yet, but he showed some flashes of potential during his first year with the Washington Redskins.

Clement rushed for 321 yards on a 4.3 average in his rookie campaign. Those are respectable numbers, but they’re also hardly anything to gloat about. Still, gaining a year of experience can really propel a player in year-two. Combine that with the chip on his shoulder for being undrafted last season and a proper offseason training program, he may have all the motivation and tools he needs to take his game to the next level.

Next: Former Eagles OLB Connor Barwin joins the Giants

With training camp gearing up soon, this is a battle that we’re all interested in watching. Who knows? Maybe all that hard work will have paid off and Clement is competing for the top spot, rather than the backup role.

Either way, every Eagles fan is eager to see him grow in his sophomore season.

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