La’Mical Perine has apparently moved up the depth chart

As the Kansas City Chiefs' third and final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns draws near, it marks the final opportunity for many players to make their mark and either win a spot on the 53-man roster or the practice squad. With this in mind, Kansas City's coaching staff wants to take a long look at running back La'Mical Perine before making any final decisions.

Perine joined the Chiefs practice squad in their run-up to Super Bowl LVII last season. It was an experience that Perine said helped prepare him for this year.

"That was my first time being in a Super Bowl. So just getting there, seeing how they were practicing and just being detailed in their craft and how the whole week went was just amazing."

Perine went on to say that already having a relationship with his teammates before the start of the preseason has also benefitted him.

"That's been a big help," explained Perine. "Just having a lot of guys who was here last year helping me with the playbook and just learning and just being able to come in and practice it as well."

Late in training camp, the Chiefs gave Perine second-team snaps behind running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, relegating undrafted rookie free agent Deneric Prince. With running back Isiah Pacheco now available and veteran Jerick McKinnon hanging around, it seems Perine is now the fourth back on the team.

When Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was asked what precipitated the change, he said it had more to do with what Perine has done right than what Prince did wrong, specifically pointing to Perine's attention to detail in pass protection and his ability to accept feedback.

"He had some nice little runs in there where you saw some smooth transition after he got the football," said Nagy. "[He's] somebody that does what he's supposed to do, and he's very coachable. You got to be able to pass-protect in this offense. You got to be able to catch the football as well... And when you can do all three of those, it's going to give you a great chance to make the team and succeed."

Perine also seems to understand that his path to making this team and being on the field relies solely on his ability to pass protect.

"[I] just keep coming out in practice, finding little things I can work on— just being sharp in pass pro," said Perine. "I feel like a lot of guys don't realize how valuable that is — having a big-time quarterback back there, just being able to protect him... I feel like if I can do that, that'll help me make the roster."

As the coaching staff began deliberating on who will make this team, Perine said he just wanted to show that he would never stop trying to improve.

"It's my fourth camp, so just me getting reps and continuing to get better at every single rep, not being satisfied. I feel like a lot of guys get satisfied. But me, I just continue to work and just learn.

"I got that mentality that I'm going to give it everything I got, every single play."