Perine has agreed to terms with the Broncos, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
What it means:
Per the report, Perine is heading to Denver on two-year, $7.5 million deal, with another $1 million in incentives. After having backed up Joe Mixon in Cincinnati, Perine is poised to join a Denver backfield that also includes 2021 second-rounder Javonte Williams, who is bouncing back from a knee injury that landed him on IR last season. In that context, Perine is a candidate see his share of backfield touches out of the gate for the Broncos this coming season.
Broncos sign running back Samaje Perine to 2-year contract on Tuesday
What it means:
The Denver Broncos have signed running back Samaje Perine to two-year deal worth up to $8.5 million.
After 54 appearances and four seasons with Cincinnati, Perine will join his third career team. Expect the seventh-year back to play at least a part-time role while Javonte Williams works his way back from his ACL injury.
On 133 total touches last season, Perine ranked 31st among running backs with a 72.9 Pro Football Focus offensive rating while recording 681 scrimmage yards, 6 touchdowns, 14 forced missed tackles, and 2.96 yards per attempt after contact.
Perine rushed five times for 22 yards and a touchdown while catching three of four targets for four yards in Sunday's 23-20 AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs.
What it means:
Joe Burrow led the Bengals with 30 rushing yards on four attempts, but Perine was more effective than Joe Mixon, who mustered only 19 yards on eight carries. Perine tied the score at 20-20 with a two-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. That touchdown could prove to be his last with the Bengals, as Perine will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Perine had seven carries for 33 yards, and another five catches for 31 yards in Sunday's win over the Bills.
What it means:
The Bengals ran the ball well all day, despite missing three starting offensive linemen. Joe Mixon took the lead and was great, but Perine was solid all day too.
Perine had four carries for three yards and three catches for 19 yards on four targets in Sunday's win over the Patriots.
What it means:
Perine took a backseat to Joe Mixon on Sunday, after carrying a heavier workload in previous games. Is this a harbinger of the workload split in weeks to come, or just how it worked out this week? The Bengals jumped out to a big lead early, which might have dictated their usage between the two backs.
Perine had seven carries for 24 yards and one reception for no gain in Sunday's 34-23 win over the Buccaneers.
What it means:
In Joe Mixon's second game back from a two-game absence due to a concussion, Perine saw 38 percent of Cincinnati's offensive snaps compared to the latter's 64 percent. Perine ultimately received half as many touches compared to his backfield mate, while New England's stout run defense doesn't provide a particularly appetizing matchup in Week 16.