Bengals Player Profile: Samaje Perine remains one of Cincinnati’s most important role players
The Cincinnati Bengals showed they can’t quit Samaje Perine last year. Perine is on the roster until he proves he doesn’t have it anymore.
We’re 29 days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. As we get ever so closer to final cuts, we’ll continue going over every player on the Bengals’ 90-man roster. Check out previous player profiles here.
The next name on the countdown is one of the most underrated players on the Bengals’ offense.
Samaje Perine Player Profile
Age: 30
Year: 10th
Position: Running back
College: Oklahoma
Jersey Number: 34
Samaje Perine was originally selected No. 114 overall in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Washington. He spent two years in the nation’s capital and made several starts as a rookie before finding himself waived and claimed by Cincinnati in 2019. He appeared in six games before being waived again and finished the year with the Miami Dolphins. The Bengals brought him back in 2020, and held on to him for a few years.
Perine rushed for 941 yards and six touchdowns from 2020-22 as Cincy’s No. 2 tailback behind Joe Mixon. He found even more purpose as Joe Burrow’s pass-protecting back during that stretch. Eventually he earned himself a decent market and signed a two-year free agent deal with the Denver Broncos in 2023. He only lasted a year out in the Mile High City before joining the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024.
The Bengals brought Perine back, again, in 2025, and picked up right where they left off with him. He complemented Chase Brown in the backfield this time around, and continued showcasing his skills on third down as a blocker and outlet receiver.
Contract details
Perine is entering the second year of his two-year, $3,600,000 contract he signed for the Bengals last offseason. His base salary for the season is $1,400,000, and he’s already earned a $400,000 roster bonus, bringing his total cash figure to $1,800,000. When adding on his signing bonus proration of $200,000, his salary cap hit for the year is $2,000,000.
Roster outlook
I don’t think a scenario exists in which Perine is not on the roster. There’s only second-year RB Tahj Brooks behind him as a real investment at the position, and Brooks hardly played last year. Perine is too important for the offense to function in high-leverage situations. Burrow relies on him to buy him that added second in the pocket to convert on third downs. When he does get the ball, he continues to run hard and churn out more yards than expected.
Cincinnati showed it can’t quit Perine last year. He’s here until he proves he doesn’t have it anymore.
Roster odds: 100%