Arians has complete faith in Breshad Perriman, should we?

In the beginning

Breshad Perriman was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Out of a school just down I-4 a couple of skips and one jump, UCF of course. His stats there were not all that impressive really. In 3 seasons, he amassed 115 receptions for 2,243 yards and 16 touchdowns. Not chickenfeed, but were they the stats of a player coming out his Junior year, and selected in the first round? Looking over the wide receivers taken in the first round over the last few years up to pick 26 where he was selected. Almost every single receiver has better stats than Perriman. Many of their stats dwarf what Perriman did in college. Maybe it was the speed and size of Breshad Perriman that made him so appealing to Baltimore. At 6’2″ 215 lbs and running the 40 in 4.35, Perriman offers a nice size to speed ratio. Probably the same thing the Bucs saw in the swift-footed player from Lithonia Georgia.

Feature Image - Photo by: Cliff Welch/Pewter Report

Very limited production

Injured and out for the season in November as a rookie, he didn’t log his first NFL start until almost a year later on October 23, 2016, hauling in one pass for 11 yards on the day. In May 2018 the Ravens declined to pick up the fifth-year option, making him a free agent for the 2019 season. But, just four months later, he was released by the team. A couple of weeks following his release, he was picked up by the Redskins, then released 5 days later. About a month later he was signed by Cleveland, and finished the season with them, catching 16 balls for 340 yards and 2 touchdowns. I have said all that above, to say this. Basically, he has done absolutely nothing in the NFL and been paid very well for doing it. Speed can’t be taught, and apparently his size and speed and potential of the same, are what has kept him around this long.

New day dawning?

Which is why it was no surprise when Bruce Arians was asked on Sunday “what WR Breshad Perriman has to show him to establish a role on offense” with the Bucs this year. Arians sounded from his words to be very matter of fact about his answer when he replied,

“Nothing, he doesn’t have to show me anything – he showed me everything I need to see. He’s fast, he’s big, he can catch, he’ll block – doing everything that we are asking of him and he has a major role right now.”

Obviously, Arians has liked what he has seen from the young journeyman (can I call him that after being a member of three teams so far in his uneventful NFL Career?) There’s no denying that Arians knows his stuff. He’s been around the NFL for a long time, and he seems emphatic about what he sees in Perriman. One thing that has not changed is he is still good size, and he hasn’t lost a step. He is still the same player the Ravens took in the first round, with the 26th pick. Sometimes for whatever the reasons, a player doesn’t come into his own until the right situation comes about. Maybe this is the right situation for Breshad Perriman. An offense that is pass-heavy, and then throws some more. I know we’re all hoping that this is the place where Breshad comes into his own. I have a feeling it just might be. Go Bucs!!

*Perriman’s stats and career info credited to Wikipedia*