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Philadelphia Eagles RBs now a strength after an injury-laden 2018 season

By Sean McBryan

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood of The Eagles perform a handshake ahead of the NFL International Series match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 28, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood of The Eagles perform a handshake ahead of the NFL International Series match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 28, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images) /
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Could the Philadelphia Eagles keep five running backs on the roster?

The Philadelphia Eagles went into last season with a running back committee that consisted of Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles, and Wendell Smallwood. Smallwood beat out Josh Adams and Donnel Pumphrey for the fourth roster spot. As we all know, Ajayi, Sproles and Clement went down with injuries and Adams was added to the active roster.

Well, if you thought last season’s backfield was crowded, you might want to reconsider.

Philadelphia added a 24-year-old former Pro Bowler from the Chicago Bears, Jordan Howard, and they drafted a running back in the second round out of Penn State, Miles Sanders to bolster the position.

Oh, and they still have Clement, Smallwood, Pumphrey, Adams, Sproles after resigning him to a one-year deal. There’s also a Sproles-type back in Boston Scott, who was signed off the New Orleans Saints practice squad in December.

Here’s what the pecking order seems to look like so far:

  1. Jordan Howard
  2. Miles Sanders
  3. Sproles
  4. Clement
  5. Smallwood
  6. Adams
  7. Scott
  8. Pumphrey

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It’s very unlikely the team would have signed Sproles just to get rid of him. Howard has been cemented in the first-string role, and it seems as though Sanders’ competitive nature has him pushing for that spot in training camp. They are all locks to make the roster.

It really comes down to a battle for the fourth spot. Clement would be the favorite, but Adams showed flashes last year, and Smallwood showed he can be a solid third-string back.

Scott’s role with the team becomes a little unclear after the signing of Sproles, but keeping a young guy with a similar skill set who can spell the 36-year-old in return situations is a possibility. That leaves Pumphrey, who doesn’t seem to stand a chance. It would be a miracle if the former fourth-rounder made the roster.

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The Eagles could keep five running backs . They did in 2017 when Clement, Pumphrey, Sproles, Smallwood and LeGarrette Blount made the roster.

There’s a strong possibility that Clement and Smallwood, Howard, Sanders and Sproles all get in. That’s a deep, talented backfield for 2019 in what seemed like a position of need at the end of last season.

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