Redskins: For Samaje Perine, the time to step up is now

Samaje Perine looked good in the preseason, but he hasn’t been active yet in the 2018 regular season. That will change in Week 3, and the Redskins need him to step up.

After Derrius Guice went down with a season-ending injury in the first preseason game, the Redskins didn’t seem to have a defined plan at running back. Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine were the top options on the roster, and one of them was expected to take on the lead-back role. However, after an injury to Perine forced him out of the second preseason game, and that set into motion a string of events that made him a non-factor to start the season.

First, the Redskins signed Adrian Peterson and he took over as the lead back. That pushed Perine to the roster bubble, and because of a bad fumble in the final preseason game, it was unclear whether or not he would make the roster as a backup. He did make the cut, but Jay Gruden opted to play the inferior Kelley as the third RB on game days because of his special teams ability. That left Perine to languish as a part of the inactives list.

However, coming into Week 3, that will change. Kelley was placed on IR after suffering a toe injury in Week 2. It’s the second consecutive season that has seen him land on IR, which could spell trouble for his future. In Kelley’s stead, Perine will take over as the third back and should get a chance to mix into the offense.

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Perine has much better vision that Kelley and his burst is superior as well. While Perine’s ball security was somewhat of an issue in the preseason, it’s been overblown throughout his career, as he has fumbled the ball every 99.5 touches, better than a number of other lead backs in 2017, including current starter Peterson. For that reason, Perine could have a bigger impact than some are expecting.

So far in 2018, Peterson hasn’t been anything special as a starter. He’s averaged just 3.1 yards per carry so far, and while he has dealt with poor blocking, he still hasn’t been very good. Perine should have a chance to be better than or equal to Peterson, so getting him a few carries against the Packers should be a goal for the coaching staff.

For Perine, this is a big chance to step up. The Redskins running back situation is still in flux, and the second-year player has a chance to emerge as the starter as the year goes on. If he can do that, he’ll be given a chance to serve as the primary backup to Guice next season. He really is battling for a future with the team, so he must make the most of his opportunities.

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It’s not guaranteed that Perine will be better than Peterson. Or Kelley for that matter. But the fact is that he’s young, strong, and has upside. If he can secure the ball and learn exactly how to use his strong, powerful frame, he should carve out a nice role in the backfield. For now, he’s a wild card, but his chance to step up is now here.

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