Former Bengals RB Samaje Perine confirms suspicion about his free agency decision
The Cincinnati Bengals re-signing Samaje Perine seemed like an easy move to predict. Perine showed how valuable he was for the offense last year when Joe Mixon missed time with a concussion. Even when Mixon was healthy and playing, Perine proved to be the running back the Bengals trusted the most in critical situations. He […]
The Cincinnati Bengals re-signing Samaje Perine seemed like an easy move to predict. Perine showed how valuable he was for the offense last year when Joe Mixon missed time with a concussion.
Even when Mixon was healthy and playing, Perine proved to be the running back the Bengals trusted the most in critical situations. He played significantly more snaps in the AFC Championship game when scoring was at a premium.
Cincinnati wanted Perine back, but he opted to sign with the Denver Broncos. We now have a much better explanation as to why.
In speaking with Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, Perine explained that while the Bengals offered "similar" money to re-sign him, the veteran running back's decision to leave was aided by his uncertainty with what the team plans to do with Joe Mixon.
"I just felt it was time for me to make a name for myself wanting to do more offensively just because I didn’t know what they were going to do with Joe (Mixon)," Perine said to Tomasson. "Obviously, he’s still a great back."
Perine originally joined the Bengals a year before the club signed Mixon to a four-year extension. He spent three years working in tandem with his former Oklahoma teammate in the Bengals' backfield.
It sounds as if Perine was unsure if Mixon was going to be cut or not, but in the event that Mixon is staying, Perine wanted to move on from the dynamic of rotating behind him.
"You know good stuff happens when Joe touches the ball," Perine said. "But I just didn’t want to get stuck in that cycle that he’s getting 75, 80, 90 percent of the touches and just stuck with leftovers on third down.”
Mixon is currently set to count for $12.7 million in salary cap space this season. Perine's cap hit for Denver this year will be $3 million.
It stands to reason that giving Perine a raise to stick around would've meant Mixon would've had to take a pay cut to do the same. The Bengals are planning on extending Tee Higgins and Joe Burrow this offseason, so saving on cap space is going to be a priority.
The way the Bengals typically operate provided very little assurances for Perine. The front office rarely cuts players before securing replacements for them. If something was set to happen with Mixon, it would've occurred after Perine's re-signing.
Instead, Cincinnati will look towards the NFL Draft to change up the dynamic in the running back room, while Perine starts anew in Denver.
