Jay Gruden: Samaje Perine’s preseason fumble affecting opportunities

Samaje Perine undoubtedly has the potential to be a solid lead or rotational back. But early on in his career, the Redskins rookie has work to do in key areas.

When the Washington Redskins selected Samaje Perine in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, there was some excitement about the pick. Perine was a very strong college player, whose strength and ability to run over tacklers was noted by all who saw him play. Stuck behind Joe Mixon in his final season, Perine didn’t get as much of a chance to shine. But when on the field, he looked capable of being a potential starter in the NFL.

The Redskins were supposedly a great landing spot for Perine. With Rob Kelley, a strong runner who wore down as his rookie season went on, in front of him, Perine was supposed to have a shot at getting some carries early on in his professional career. Instead, he got no carries in the season opener and only saw action on special teams.

Jay Gruden was recently asked about Perine and whether or not a fumble that occurred in the preseason had any effect on his playing time. Gruden said the following, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post.

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"Yeah, we don’t forget fumbles. He won’t forget that either. He’s not that type of guy, I don’t think, but we’ll see. We’ve just got to get him some opportunities and see where he’s at. But we think he’s a physical runner, and he’s going to help this football team over the course of the season."

This is an expected response from Gruden. While he showed disdain for the fumble, he left the door open for Perine to get an opportunity to prove himself.

In regards to the fumble, it seems that fumbles are the head coach’s No. 1 pet peeve. Last season, Matt Jones began the season as the starter, but lost the job after committing three fumbles in 99 carries. As a rookie, Jones had five fumbles in 144 carries. Jones eventually lost the starting job because of his inability to hold onto the ball. As the saying goes, ball security is job security.

It may seem a bit harsh to penalize Perine for one fumble. But in reality, it’s not just the fumble that is keeping Perine out. Perine had a fine preseason, but he was an up-and-down performer who struggled in pass protection. For that reason, the Redskins probably want to ease him into a role and make Kelley the starter to take pressure off. If Kelley continues to struggle in the opening month, then Perine can be worked in more and more as he continues to get comfortable.

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It will be interesting to see if Perine gets a chance to tote the rock against the Los Angeles Rams, or if his chance will come further into the future. Perine definitely has a place with the Redskins, but finding a role aside from special teams may not happen until closer to the midway point of the season.