Should Eagles Super Bowl Standout RB Be Free Agent Target for Bears?

Getty Running back Corey Clement celebrates his 22-yard touchdown reception against the New England Patriots in the third quarter of Super Bowl LII. Clement is currently a free agent.

The Chicago Bears don’t particularly need to add a new running back to the fray. But with the unproven Ryan Nall and the struggling Tarik Cohen assisting David Montgomery, who enters his second year in the league, adding some depth to their running backs room seems like a good idea — particularly if they could do it on the cheap. Enter Corey Clement.

Clement was an undrafted free agent when he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie in 2017. He spent his collegiate years with the Wisconsin Badgers, and in his four seasons in Madison, Clement averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He had 1,375 yards on 314 carries with 15 touchdowns as the Badgers feature back in 2016 after spending his first few seasons behind new Denver Bronco Melvin Gordon.

Clement is already quite familiar with playing in cold weather, and he’s also familiar with current Bears’ quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, who had the same job in Philadelphia when Clement was a rookie. He is worth a good look if you’re the Bears for multiple reasons.

Clement Has Ties to Several Current Bears Players

GettyRunning back Corey Clement missed significant time in 2019.

Bringing Clement to Chicago would bring the three members of the “Philly Special” back together again, along with tight end Trey Burton and quarterback Nick Foles. Sure, it was just one play, but there’s something to be said for team chemistry, and those three had it, and they had it in the biggest game of their lives. You can’t re-create a moment, but you can get the gang back together, and if the Bears signed Clement, he would likely feel more welcome in the locker room from the start than most.

Clement may be most remembered for his standout performance in Super Bowl LII in his rookie season with the Eagles. He caught five passes for 100 yards and a score in that game, proving he shows up in big games when it matters most. He was one of the Eagles’ best offensive players against a New England Patriots team that had lost three times all season.

His only red flag comes with his injuries. He missed some time in college in 2015 due to a sports hernia, and injuries have also followed him to the pros, although none of them have been major. His 2019 season was severely impacted by a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 2, and while he tried to play through it, it eventually landed him on season-ending injured reserve. He also missed some time towards the end of the 2018 season due to a minor knee injury, but there has been nothing career-threatening. His injury history makes him a risk, but it could be one worth taking if you’re the Bears.

He’s Young, Experienced & Will Come Cheap

Clement is young. He’s just 25 years old, and he turns 26 in November. His upside could be worth taking a risk on him if he’s healthy, as he still has a great deal to offer as a player. Clement has played in a multitude of different offenses, and his skills as a receiver would make him a valuable gadget player in an offense like Matt Nagy’s. He has already shown he can contribute in offenses similar to Nagy’s, (see: Doug Pederson’s in Philly) and he will most certainly be affordable.

Clement will likely command the league minimum, as he made just over $558,000 a year in his three seasons with the Eagles. This would be what the cash-strapped Bears could afford to spend, and it would be an affordable way to add competition to a running backs room in need of a boost.

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