On Tuesday, the Eagles bolstered their backfield when they swapped a 4th round pick for Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi. In pulling off the bold move, oft-maligned GM Howie Roseman solidified his place in the good graces of the mercurial Eagles fan base – for now.

As he surveyed the NFL landscape, Roseman likely saw a league that lacks a dominant team. The perennially contending Patriots have struggled to finish drives and look vulnerable on defense. Notwithstanding the addition of left tackle Duane Brown, the Seahawks still have a major problem keeping Russell Wilson upright. The Cowboys must negotiate the extended absence of the suspended Ezekiel Elliot, while the Packers’ playoff flame has extinguished with the injury to Aaron Rodgers. The Vikings have managed to survive thus far while Sam Bradford recovers from a knee injury, but it bears watching if the team can succeed when the competition gets more difficult. The Falcons seem to have reverted to their mediocre ways, while the upstart Saints have won games thanks to an opportunistic defense and a reinvented offense. Meanwhile, the much-improved LA Rams lurk in the NFC West. Will Jared Goff, who played behind a leaky offensive line at Cal and struggled against the blitz last season, continue to thrive when the Rams face teams with an elite pass rush?

And then there’s Andy Reid, who may just have the most complete team in the NFL. Sorry, Andy haters.

It was a perfect time to make a splash, and Roseman found a willing partner in the Dolphins. In Ajayi, the Eagles are getting a power back with considerable burst. Ajayi is coming off a 2016 season in which he ran for 1,272 yards total and 4.9 yards per carry. His stellar season earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. Although Ajayi has struggled to rediscover his 2016 form, many of his issues are attributable to a nonexistent passing game piloted by a thoroughly disinterested Jay Cutler and below average Matt Moore.

It was a good deal, one that all Eagles fans should cheer. However, as we applaud Howie’s audacious trade, let’s take a moment to appreciate the outstanding work of a rookie whose playing time will likely diminish with the acquisition of Ajayi: Corey Clement.

Clement arrived in Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent. If the anonymous draft whisperers are to be believed (and they shouldn’t be trusted about any observation that is not readily apparent on tape), Clement carried some baggage with him. According to NFL.com’s draft profile:

“Scouts have labeled him “entitled” and question his football character and leadership. Had 2015 season washed away due to injury, attitude and an off-field incident. One speed, monotonous approach as a runner. Lacks burst and drags feet through hole, allowing defenders to get hands on him. Impatient. Runs up the back of blockers rather than allowing plays to develop. Missing improvisational talent and finesse. Not an instinctive runner and lacks feel for development of running lanes between the tackles.”

First of all, how pretentious do you have to be to inject a word like “monotonous” into a running back analysis? Then again, it’s probably uncharitable to label someone based on one strange word choice, just as it’s unfair to define a person’s character based on a few events that occurred in his junior year of college.

Entering the preseason, Clement was a likely candidate for the practice squad, if he were to make the team at all. Despite his purported reputation for entitlement, Clement earned every opportunity afforded to him. In four exhibition games, Clement carried the ball 28 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns while adding 7 catches for 46 yards. By the time the Eagles broke camp, Clement had played his way onto the roster. He leaped ahead of fellow rookie Donnel Pumphrey on the depth chart. Pumphrey, a 4th round pick, was shortly thereafter lost for the season due to a hamstring injury.

Although Clement’s regular season stat line looks a bit pedestrian, the numbers don’t accurately reflect his progression as a pro. He certainly has made a mark in limited action during the Eagles’ impressive 7-1 start to the year. Take another look at the touchdown catch he hauled in during the Monday Night game against the Redskins:

Wentz deservedly received most of the plaudits for what was a remarkable pass. However, the touchdown comes off the board if Clement is unable to keep his feet in bounds after landing. It was a deft bit of footwork. Not many teams can claim to have a reserve running back who could make a similar play.

On Sunday, Clement helped jump-start an Eagles offense that was stuck in neutral for much of the day. In the middle of the third quarter, Wentz threw an interception after a miscommunication with receiver Mack Hollins. The 49ers capitalized with a well-designed shovel pass (one that the Eagles would do well to put into their own playbook when Denver’s pass rushers come calling on Sunday) that went for a touchdown. Suddenly, the score was 20-7, and the visitors showed signs of life. On the next drive, Wentz handed the ball to Clement on 2nd and 10 at the 25. Running left, the rookie spotted a hole and suddenly planted his foot in the ground. One quick cut later, Clement was running free into the open field. He carried the ball to midfield, and put the Eagles offense back in business. With the 49ers pass rush temporarily back on its heels, Wentz found Alshon Jeffery down the sideline for a long touchdown pass that effectively put the game out of reach.

The sequence served as a reminder of the impact a successful running game can have on an offense. It allows an offensive line that is getting beaten on passing downs to run block, taking the aggression to the defense. It also takes pressure off the quarterback and opens up opportunities in the passing game.

Which is why, in spite of Clement’s emergence, it was so important for Roseman to make the move to acquire Ajayi. Jason Peters’ season-ending injury leaves Wentz vulnerable on his blind side. While Halapoulivaati Vaitai has shown flashes of competence in his stints as a starter, Big V’s lack of experience makes it a considerable risk to rely on him without help. And sometimes, an effective runner is a better friend to an offensive tackle than a tight end who stays in to block. Ajayi’s presence on the field will compel defenses to respect the Eagles’ balance.

That said, here’s hoping the Eagles continue to develop Clement, if for no other reason than he provides depth at a position that, long-term, is unsettled. Blount is likely a rental player, and Ajayi has only one year remaining on a rookie contract he has outplayed. He’ll likely want a raise before next season begins.

No matter what happens the rest of the way, Clement has entrenched himself in an Eagles freshman class whose contributions have propelled the franchise to the top of the NFC heap and leveled the path toward the franchise’s first Super Bowl.