With the cutdown deadline looming, the Eagles have reportedly parted ways with Wendell Smallwood.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Smallwood would go on to record 312 yards and a touchdown on 77 carries, before suffering an injury that would cut his rookie season short. A promising offseason and training camp saw Smallwood fueled by the competition brought to the table by Corey Clement. When the regular season rolled around, Smallwood simply struggled. He was given carries in the opening two fixtures but averaged under 2 yards per carry in each contest.
If we fast forward yet another year, it’s the same old story. Smallwood shed the skin of a back who struggled receiving the ball by setting career-highs, more than doubling his receptions and yardage from 2017. He set career-highs in rushing as well and although still inconsistent at times…there were flashes.
Smallwood tallied 151 yards during a crucial four-game stretch, notching a run of at least 10 yards in three of them. But with Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders brought into the fold and Darren Sproles returning for one last rodeo, Smallwood just fell out of favor.
The truth is, while Wendell Smallwood isn’t glamorous or flashy, nasty, or electric. A jack-of-all-trades, don’t be surprised if Smallwood ends up in New York or Houston. He’s got enough talent to keep his NFL career chugging, but in this backfield, it was always going to be difficult.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Christopher Szagola/CSM via AP Images
