'It Takes A Village' To Replace Eagles' Versatile 'Slash' Player

Second-year throwback Ben VanSumeren was helping the Eagles on special teams, fullback and linebacker this season.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Ben VanSumeren. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - On a roster filled with stars the Eagles linebacker Ben VanSumeren is generally overlooked.

That isn't the case inside the NovaCare Complex.

Philadelphia lost the second-year core-special-teamer/linebacker/fullback to a season-ending knee injury at practice last Friday.

The slashes help describe just how deep VanSumeren's tentacles have spread inside the organization with three assistants scrambling for replacements: special teams coordinator Michael Clay, linebackers coach Bobby King, and running backs coach Jemal Singleton.

One team source described VanSumeren's imprint on special teams as irreplaceable and his reps at fullback were so impressive the Eagles brought in a natural fullback on Tuesday -- former Titans and Bears 66-game veteran Khari Blasingame -- for the first time since the start of the Doug Pederson era in 2016.

Ironically, VanSumeren's stated position on the roster was the least affected because the Michigan State product was still in the developmental phase behind Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun as well as backups Oren Burks and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., albeit perhaps with the higher ceiling among the reserves due to his athleticism.

"It's hard to replace a guy like Ben," Clay admitted Tuesday.

Eagles STC Michael Clay / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Clay trumpeted VanSumeren's "tenacity, physicality, and athleticism" before taking an empathetic route.

"You always feel bad for a guy that you lose due to injury. You kind of take a step back, both as a coaching perspective and player perspective, that it could go away just like that," Clay said.

The challenge is always there for coaches when they have to get a replacement up to speed. However, in Sunday's 24-19 win at Baltimore Clay highlighted just how difficult the job was to replace VanSumeren on short notice, highlighting three players who had to step up: veterans Parris Campbell and C.J. Uzomah, as well as practice squad edge rusher Ochaun Mathis.

"In terms of replacing him, I think that's the beauty of special teams," Clay said. "You’ve got to not just coach the guys that may be up on game day, but everyone else to get them ready.

"I thought two guys did an unbelievable job being on short notice. Parris Campbell, I know he played a lot on offense, but he was out there on special teams. Then Ochaun Mathis. You never know when your number's going to get called, but he was ready to fill a void in that situation. Same with C.J. Uzomah going out there.

"It takes a village to get us right."

The village grew on Tuesday with the addition of Blasingame.

Entering Week 13, VanSumeren had played 213 special teams snaps (74% of the Eagles' total) behind only Kelee Ringo (222) and Burks (218). His fullback reps were up to 22 with plans to increase that number, according to multiple team sources.

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