New York Giants Training Camp Profile: RB Corey Clement

Running back Corey Clement has been involved in some historical moments for the Philadelphia Eagles, including the famed "Philly Special." Can he find new life and similar success with the New York Giants?

There was little doubt that the New York Giants needed to add to their running back room--and not just because of ongoing questions about when Saquon Barkley would be fully ready to go following a torn ACL.

"Yeah, at that position, we are looking for a lot of depths," head coach Joe Judge said recently. "Running backs have to have a role offensively and in the kicking game. You're going to play more than one in each game, and you need more than one running back to sustain a season.

"It's a physical position and obviously a lot of wear and tear so you need a lot of depth, and not just the depth but you need different body types, skill sets to really complement your offense."

Enter Corey Clement, the former Philadelphia Eagle who impressed Judge enough during his tryout at the team's rookie minicamp to earn a Veteran Salary Benefit contract.

"I've known him for a long time now and admired the way he's played both in the offense and kicking game," Judge said.

"He's got some experience and I was pleased with the way he came to rookie minicamp being a vet on a trial basis and really attacked it. I liked the way he worked on a daily basis and liked what I saw in terms of him coming in in shape and condition and working on the field. That's what led us to sign him."

With the running back room now fuller in terms of talent, let's look at where Clement might fit in.

Background

Clement’s NFL career can best be described as a roller coaster.

An undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, the Glassboro, New Jersey native appeared to find a home with the Philadelphia Eagles, who signed him in 2017. Clement went on to star for the Eagles in Super Bowl 52, where he had 100 receiving yards on four receptions and a touchdown in the Eagles’ first-ever world championship.

All together, Clement gave the Eagles 655 rushing yards, 340 receiving yards, and 477 return yards plus nine combined touchdowns.

But the clock struck midnight on this Cinderella story. In 2018, Clement struggled to earn snaps in a crowded Eagles backfield, and he would finish that season on injured reserve with a knee ailment he suffered late in the season.

The following year, Clement again went through an injury-shortened season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Thanks in part to back-to-back season-ending injuries, Clement wasn’t tendered by the Eagles, but he did r-sign with the club during the 2020 off-season.

In November of that year, Clement tested positive for COVID-19, missing one game. Meanwhile, the one-time Super Bowl hero finished with 75 rushing yards on 21 carries, 25 receiving yards on five catches, and 22 return yards on one return.

Clement is seeking to jumpstart his career with the Giants, the Eagles’ most hated rivals. After impressing in the Giants 2021 rookie minicamp, Clement will battle it out with waiver wire pickup Ryquell Armstead for what is presumed to be the third spot on the running back depth chart, behind Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker.

Clement’s special teams ability could very well be his ticket to a roster spot, but his injury history is a concern as he looks to find a team where he can end his NFL career on a happily-ever-after note. 

Whether that’s with the Giants remains to be seen, but there’s certainly enough to like about the 5-foot-10, 220-pound Clement, starting with his versatility and his production when he’s healthy.

What He Brings

As a running back, Clement has good power in pushing piles--he's averaged 2.66 yards after contact, which isn't bad. But he's not much of a tackle breaker, nor does he have that breakaway speed that will result in the occasional home run ball.

Clement's biggest strength is as a receiver out of the backfield, where he has an 85.5% career catch rate.

Clement does a nice job following blockers at the second level and beyond. He has just enough shiftiness in his game to be able to bob and weave through traffic -- his career average of 11.6 yards after the catch speaks to the fact that once he has the ball in his hands, he can make something happen with it.

Clement also brings in special teams experience, with a decent-sized sampling as a kickoff and punt returner, two positions the Giants must upgrade. Clement has 21 career kickoff returns for 524 yards and seven punt returns for 167 yards.

His Contract

Clement signed a one-year Veteran Salary Benefit deal worth $990,000 with no guaranteed money. He only counts for $850K against the Giants' 2021 salary cap.

Roster Projection/Expectations

Clement has a legitimate chance of making this roster the third running back behind Barkley and projected backup Devontae Booker. 

His biggest issue the last two years have been avoiding the injury bug, but there is enough on tape to like about Clement, who will be competing with rookie Gary Brightwell for what's projected to be the final open roster spot at running back on the Giants roster.

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