La'Mical Perine has earned a spot on the Chiefs roster, and perhaps more.

Looking at what the fourth-year RB has done to earn the 3rd spot in a crowded room.

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It’s easy to gloss over the final preseason game, especially when starters barely play.

But for some guys, the final preseason game is their Super Bowl. It’s the biggest moment of their careers. It’s their last shot to put out legitimate game film and make an NFL roster, whether it’s the team they’re already on or somewhere else (as well as the 53 vs a practice squad).

With that in mind, it seems right to talk about one of those guys who has made a strong case as to why he should stick around. And for the Chiefs, the guy that jumps out the most in that regard (with a nod to wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette) is running back La’Mical Perine.

Perine, a fourth-year player who was a 4th round draft pick by the Jets in 2020 (is it me, or is it hard to believe 2020 was now 3 full years ago?), has seen pretty extensive action with Chiefs’ backups and 3rd stringers during the preseason, and has even been given a few reps with the starters (mostly as Isiah Pacheco recovered from injury, but still). And he’s made the most of them.

Let’s talk about what Perine has done to earn a roster spot with the Chiefs. It may seem like a “niche” topic, but for Perine (and other players in his situation), it’s of utmost importance. And for Chiefs fans, he’s a potential answer to the question as to what the RB room should look like after Pacheco and Jet McKinnon, with questions regarding Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s role continuing to linger.

The traits necessary to succeed at running back are generally pretty well known; Speed/burst, agility, vision, balance through contact, the ability to pass protect, and at least decent hands.

The most important thing that Perine has shown that sets him above CEH in terms of filling in that 3rd RB role (which is generally going to be a “in case of injury” role) is speed/burst.

This is a trait that gets taken for granted, but it shouldn’t. There’s a baseline of speed necessary to be a viable NFL running back, and there are two very basic reasons for it: Hitting the edge, and hitting the hole. If you don’t have the speed to get to the corner, then basically any stretch run, toss, or cutback that requires you to beat defenders to the edge is doomed. Look at that last run over the course of 3 frames.

Perine is in a race to the sideline with 3 different defenders at 3 (slightly) different levels. Think about what this looks like if he’s not able to win the race to all 3 of those spots. If the first defender can beat him to that line (or force him to change direction towards the sideline), it’s a 2-yard gain. If the second defender can beat him to that line (or again, force him wide), it’s a 4-5 yard gain. If the final defender can beat him to the edge, it’s a 6-8 yard gain. Instead…

Perine beats the first two defenders to those lines, threatening the sideline and forcing the final defender to turn upfield into a pursuit angle rather than simply trying to cut him off. That alone stretches the run into at least a 15-yard gain or so, but then Perine is able to win the final race to the sideline.

Once that race to the sideline is won, yards start getting chewed up FAST. And the final result is a 30-yard gain. It would have been more if it weren’t for a terrific, last-second diving tackle by the defender at the sideline.

If you slow down Perine even a fraction of a second on this play at the start, it’s a short gain and we might not even think about it. That’s how important the difference of a tenth of a second can be. Perine isn’t a speedster, but he does have just enough juice to hit the edge. That’s one of the areas that CEH has consistently struggled since entering the league. He has terrific agility, but lacks the speed/burst to hit the edge.

The other area where that “baseline” speed matters is being able to hit the hole and/or cutback moving straight ahead. Again, in the NFL that tenth of a second is the difference between life and death of a run play. It’s the difference between hitting a clean hole or having a defender filling enough to slow you down, or the difference between a half-filled hole or an absolute wall.

In other words, think of speed/burst as having a baseline “you must be this tall to ride the roller coaster” level that needs to be hit in order for a player to not be a liability on the field.

And Perine has shown that speed on more than one occasion, showing solid acceleration and top speed that, while not elite, certainly looks like enough to hit the “roller coaster” level necessary to hit the necessary holes and chew up yards before contact.

This is hardly an earth-shattering snap, of course, and it’s a play where an adequate NFL running back should pick up some yardage. But that’s sort of the point. Seeing the hole and hitting it fast and decisively is something that CEH hasn’t always been able to do (not generally due to vision, as some claim, but just because he lacks that acceleration with his first few steps).

Perine’s baseline speed and acceleration look to be a noticeable tick faster than CEH’s, and that matters a great deal. That deficiency for Clyde is one reason why the fanbase was so excited early about Deneric Prince, who has a terrific combination of size and speed. However, Prince hasn’t played as fast as Perine in preseason or looked as decisive and comfortable. And that’s allowed Perine to shine more in the opportunities he’s been given.

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But Perine hasn’t just looked fast. He’s also shown some fight and balance through contact with a pretty stout frame (he’s listed at 5’11”, 216 pounds). People noticed it the most in his absurd, multiple-tackle-breaking touchdown against the Browns, but it’s not the first time he’s shown the ability to shake defenders. He’s also shown at least some ability to alter his speed and direction in order to follow blocks as the play develops.

Being able to grab a few extra yards after contact is of course a skill that you want with any running back, and by showing extra oomph Perine has been able to grab additional yards a few times. It’s also important to be able to see where things are developing and alter your play speed accordingly.

Watch how Perine adjusts his speed based on needing to let 77 direct his defender around the play, then bursts forward for a few yards before changing direction to account for the closing linebacker (whose arm tackle he shakes loose). That’s not bad stuff for a guy fighting for a roster spot.

Just as importantly, Perine has contributed to the passing game in a number of ways. First, he looks comfortable as a receiver, with at least what appear to be soft hands and comfort operating in space with the ball.

But beyond that (and probably more important than anything else for a 3rd or 4th string RB in the Chiefs’ offense), Perine has shown some comfort in pass protection situations. This is probably one of the most difficult aspects of the game for a young running back to pick up, and Perine has the advantage of several years in the league to get used to pro protections and going up against NFL-caliber blitzers.

While the sample size isn’t large enough to be able to say anything definitively, Perine has had some snaps where he demonstrated a cool head and good technique in helping keep the quarterback clean.

This snap is very impressive despite not being a pancake (it caught the eye of Arrowhead Pride’s Ron Kopp, who does terrific work, so I feel like I’m in good company). Perine is executing a play action fake here, so he has to keep his eyes up while being on the move and at least somewhat selling the fake. In the meantime, he has to locate the blitzer and stay disciplined enough with his footwork to not get run out of the play.

It’s worth noting that the blitzer here is heading towards a gap that forces Perine to reverse course and get horizontal. In order to do that AND stay square enough to provide some strength to the block, he has to be smart with his movement and not panic. He does just that, helping re-direct the rusher’s momentum around the pocket and create a clear throwing lane for the QB.

Perine may not be a Pro Bowler. But he does look like a competent running back who has the traits necessary to help the offense function in the even that he’s on the field, from baseline speed to decent vision to receiving/pass protection chops. He’s outperformed both Prince and CEH this preseason, and he’s earned a shot on the final roster.

The next few days will mean some terribly difficult decisions for Veach, Reid and company. But this one shouldn’t be that hard. Perine has seen to that with his play.