Just like that, Samaje Perine joins the Broncos biggest nemesis

The Denver Broncos cut veteran running back Samaje Perine on Tuesday afternoon.

He found a new home by Wednesday morning.

And Perine isn’t just joining any other NFL team, he’s signing with Denver’s biggest nemesis. According to multiple reports, Perine has landed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The #Chiefs are signing veteran RB Samaje Perine to their active roster, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 28, 2024

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the Chiefs “had been in talks to trade for Perine,” but clearly a deal never materialized. It’s hard to get deals done within a division, but surely the Broncos would’ve liked to get a draft pick back for the running back.

The Chiefs beat the Broncos 16 times in a row before Denver finally snapped the streak last season, so this one stings. The kings of the AFC West are also back-to-back Super Bowl champions. If Perine burns the Broncos in a regular season game, you know Sean Payton might have some second thoughts about letting him go.

Still, Payton really likes his running back room.

Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin are two of his favorites, plus Payton spent a fifth-round pick on rookie running back Audric Estime. Perine just wasn’t in the Broncos plans, after he had a decent season in 2023, mostly as a safety blanket for Russell Wilson.

Perine ran the ball 53 times for 238 yards and a touchdown, but also caught 50 passes for 455 yards, which were both easily career-highs.

Instead, it’ll be Williams as the lead running back for Denver, after he lost 11 pounds this summer and is hoping to return to the form that saw Broncos fans very excited in 2021. Williams shredded his knee in 2022, and didn’t look like himself a season ago.

McLaughlin and Estime are both young and relatively cheap, and that’s how most running back rooms are around the NFL now. The Broncos saved $3 million against the salary cap by cutting Perine.

And now, he plays for the Chiefs. Buckle up for that first matchup of the season on Nov. 10.

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