Chiefs move on from young running back

The Chiefs spent more than a year developing running back La’Mical Perine, adding the former Jets draftee in January 2023 and using him at points last season. The team is now moving on from the reserve RB.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champions opted to cut the former fourth-round pick Friday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. This will create some questions regarding how the Chiefs will fill out their backfield behind their regulars.

Perine’s only notable work with the Chiefs came during a Week 18 matchup with the Chargers, one that featured the AFC West champs resting several starters due to having locked in a No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. Perine received 21 carries, totaling 76 yards, in that matchup. He was active for the Chiefs’ three AFC playoff games, playing a special teams role. The Chiefs did not dress Perine for Super Bowl LVIII, having activated Jerick McKinnon ahead of that game.

Kansas City has not gone through with its usual post-draft McKinnon agreement; the 10-year veteran remains a free agent. The team also did not draft a running back this year. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, however, is back with the team. Despite failing to live up to his first-round draft slot, the 5-foot-7 back re-signed and will be expected to reprise his recent role as an Isiah Pacheco backup.

Perine, 26, spent the first two years of his career with the Jets before short stints with the Eagles and Dolphins. The Chiefs signed Perine to a futures deal in February 2023 and brought him back after leaving him off their initial 53-man roster last summer. Unless the Chiefs circle back to the Florida alum once again, it is unclear who will be their RB3 in 2024. Ex-Cardinals cog Keaontay Ingram, UDFA Deneric Prince, rugby convert Louis Rees-Zammit and rookie UDFAs Carson Steele (UCLA) and Emani Bailey (TCU) round out Kansas City’s RB corps.