The Kansas City Chiefs added some depth to their backfield after waiving all but three of their running backs during final cuts on Tuesday.
One of the biggest surprises of the Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster for the 2024 campaign was that only Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Carson Steele were the only rushers that remained. Technically, there were only two running backs because Steele is listed as a fullback.
That’s no longer the case as the Chiefs finally added an extra layer of depth to the running backs room.
On Wednesday, NFL insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported the Chiefs added former Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine to the active roster.
On Friday, the Chiefs officially announced the additions of Perine and practice squad signee Bailey Zappe.
Perine was a fourth-round pick by the Washington Redskins in 2017 out of the University of Oklahoma, where he won the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award and was a two-time All-Big 12 player.
Perine played two seasons at the Nation’s capital before bouncing around the league, spending time with the Miami Dolphins (2019), Cincinnati Bengals (2019-22) and Denver Broncos (2023).
The most success he’s had so far in his career was the four seasons he spent in Cincinnati, where he helped lead the Bengals to two AFC Championships and one Super Bowl appearance in 2021. While wearing the tiger stripes, Perine rushed 941 yards and six touchdowns on 213 touches. He also caught 76 passes for 549 yards and five touchdowns.
Perine won’t be taking Pacheco’s job as the starter by any stretch, but he will provide depth and help carry the load on offense as a third-down back or for short-yardage situations.
Through eight seasons, Perine has played in 93 career games with just 12 starts and accumulated 454 carries for 1,830 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He’s also made 151 career catches for 1,191 yards and six touchdowns.
