Philadelphia Eagles: Corey Clement finds a new team close to home

Corey Clement hasn’t been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles since 2020.

A UDFA out of Wisconsin in 2017 to improbably made the 53-man roster as a fifth running back who improbably went on to be an impactful playoff performer, Clement has since bounced around the NFL in search of another long-term home, signing with the New York Giants and his childhood favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.

While neither landing spot has proven particularly fruitful, as Clement hasn’t played more than 110 offensive snaps since all the way back in 2018, he’s remained a specials teams ace both in Philly and Big-D, and parlayed that success into another training camp opportunity, this time back on the East coast.

Is Clement about to finish off his quadruple crown trip through the NFC East and join the elite fraternity of players to call all four franchises home? Maybe at some point, but first, he’ll be kicking it just down the road from his homes in Philadelphia and New Jersey in beautiful Baltimore, Maryland.

Philadelphia Eagles fans will be proud of Corey Clement no matter what comes next.

Heading into training camp, the Baltimore Ravens have a pretty loaded offensive backfield.

J.K. Dobbins is back and fully recovered from his torn ACL, as are Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Nate McCrary. The team added three more new performers to the fray in 2022 sixth round pick Tyler Badie, ex-Panthers running back Mike Davis, and Clement, who has signed a one-year, presumably non-guaranteed contract.

On paper, that’s a pretty tough nut to crack for Mr. Clement, as he isn’t exactly a high-usage performer, an elite pass blocker, or even a pass-catching specialist – unless he’s in the Super Bowl, of course. However, there is one aspect of the game that could be a saving grace for Clement’s chance to make the roster and thus eventually earn playing time: Special teams.

You see, as crazy as it may sound, the Ravens only got 55 special teams snaps from their running back corps, 40 from Ty’Son Williams and 15 more from Trenton Cannon. Clement, to his credit, has surpassed 265 special teams snaps in three of his five professional seasons. Even if he’d probably sit last on the depth chart as a running back, keeping Clement over a player like McCray, Davis, or even Badie could make some sense from a roster construction standpoint.

Worst case scenario, Clement hangs out on the practice squad as one of the allowed veterans, collects a check, and waits for an injury, Jordan Howard-style, to unlock a spot on the 53-man roster. As they say, it’s not always how you get to the party, but the impression you make once you arrive.

Whether Corey Clement plays out the remainder of the decade in an NFL uniform or hangs up his cleats at the end of the season, the pride of Glassboro, New Jersey, will forever be a Philadelphia Eagles legend for his 100-receiving yard performance against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. With that said, let’s hope he can eke out a spot on the Baltimore Ravens’ roster and keep his NFL dreams alive, as 27 is an awfully young age to retire at.