The Cincinnati Bengals have announced their 53-man roster, which includes only three running backs.

Don’t expect this to be the case for long.

Whether it’s an addition to the active roster or the 16-man practice squad, the Bengals are virtually guaranteed to sign another running back.

The popular name was Samaje Perine, who left Cincinnati to sign with the Denver Broncos in 2023.

The Broncos announced on Tuesday that Perine was released. Because Perine is a seasoned veteran, he does not have to go through the waivers list and can sign with anyone he wants.

From 2021-22, Perine was the Bengals’ primary blocker and receiver while playing alongside former college teammate Joe Mixon. The Bengals claimed him off waivers in Week 8 of the 2020 season, and over the next few years he helped the team reach two AFC Championship games and a Super Bowl.

After the 2022 season, Perine left the team as a free agent and signed a two-year deal with the Broncos, but he struggled to break through in last year’s absolutely desolate offense, and this year had a crowded backfield that made Perine expendable.

The Bengals signed Zack Moss as a free agent this year, while second-year running back Chase Brown is expected to play a bigger role in the offense this season, and Trayveon Williams could also get a bigger piece of the pie. The team lost Chris Evans, its fourth running back, in August to a season-ending patella injury, and Perine could easily fill the fourth running back spot on the roster.

While he probably won’t be a game-changer, Perine is as good a third running back as you can find, and he could bring some stability to a backfield that had a lot of turnover last year. Let’s see if both sides want to make that happen.

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