Jets Sign La’Mical Perine

The Jets have agreed to terms with fourth-round draft choice La’Mical Perine, the team announced. The former Florida running back is the fourth member of the club’s nine-man rookie class to sign his first professional contract.

Perine is presently staring up at two big names ahead of him on the Jets’ RB depth chart, which is topped by Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore. But Bell could be a trade candidate if New York is a trade deadline seller, and even if he makes it through the season, it’s far from a sure thing that he’ll be back with Gang Green in 2021. Gore, meanwhile, is on the tail end of a Hall of Fame career and may retire at the end of the 2020 campaign.

So Perine will do battle with players like Kenneth Dixon and Josh Adams in an effort to secure a spot in the current RB rotation while showcasing his talents for a larger role down the line. His college numbers aren’t especially flashy, but a 5.0 yards-per-carry average over a four-year stint against SEC defenses isn’t too shabby, and he displayed some receiving ability in his senior season, catching 40 passes for 262 yards and five TDs.

Per the terms of his draft slot, Perine will earn $4MM over the life of his four-year deal, which includes a $745K signing bonus. Here’s the full rundown of the Jets’ draft class as it presently stands, via PFR’s tracker:

1-11: Mekhi Becton, T (Louisville)
2-59: Denzel Mims, WR (Baylor): Signed
3-68: Ashtyn Davis, S (California)
3-79: Jabari Zuniga, DE (Florida)
4-120: Lamical Perine, RB (Florida): Signed
4-125: James Morgan, QB (Florida International)
4-129: Cameron Clark, OT (Charlotte): Signed
5-158: Bryce Hall, CB (Virginia): Signed
6-191: Braden Mann, P (Texas A&M)

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