Washington Redskins Training Camp Profile 2017: RB Samaje Perine

Expectations for Samaje Perine

It’s not always fair to heap enormous expectations onto rookies. But I’m willing to bet that Perine is going to be a starter early on in his career. The facts are simple. He fits very well into the Redskins offense, and compares to the other backs that have seen success with the ‘Skins like Kelley and Alfred Morris.

Perine has little competition to lock down the starting role. As good as Kelley was as a rookie, he looks to be more of a high caliber rotational back than a lead back. Even if Kelley is the starter at the beginning of the season, there is a strong chance that he will be splitting carries with Perine by October, if not, sooner.

Most importantly, Perine is an NFL ready player. His strength will allow him to succeed as he improves the other aspects of his game. The more he continues to spend time in the system, the more he will learn and get better. During his first season, Perine realistically should emerge as the lead back for the team, as he is the most talented member of their backfield.

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Perine might not be ready to be a 1,000 yard rusher yet. But one thing is certain. The Redskins are going to want to use him quite a bit over the course of the season. Perine is a player who should be very good, and could end up playing a big role as a member of the Redskins offense in 2017.