Rams GM Les Snead Details Layers that Make QB Bryce Perkins 'A Weapon'

Snead clearly took notice of Perkins' improvement in preseason.

© Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY

Whenever 34-year-old quarterback and 14-year NFL vet Matthew Stafford decides to call it quits, the Los Angeles Rams may already have their quarterback of the future on deck.

Third-year signal-caller Bryce Perkins was one of the no-doubt stars for LA this preseason, as the team finished up their final game of exhibition action in a 16-7 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday.

Rams general manager Les Snead clearly took notice, as LA elected to keep Perkins as the third quarterback on the team when the final 53-man roster was announced Tuesday. 

Following the cuts, Snead spoke about the improvement he's seen from Perkins. Though known for his strength at scrambling and being mobile, it's Perkins' patience and pocket presence that Snead says allows him to become such an effective runner. 

“It's interesting ... I think probably from day one to now, he's definitely improved as a pocket passer," Snead said. "But he has been someone who has a feel in the pocket and I do think that's one of the reasons he becomes a little bit of a weapon running the football." 

The 25-year-old went 35 of 49 passing for 399 yards and two touchdowns in three preseason games while adding 18 carries for 73 yards and two more scores. He consistently flashed this unique dual-threat ability while also being calm and collected in the pocket as a passer, evident by his turnover-free preseason.

In the first game against the Chargers, Perkins led the team in rushing with eight carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. When he found the end zone to give the Rams the lead in the third quarter, he did so by faking out the Chargers' defense on a read-option keep at the goal line before walking in effortlessly.

In Saturday's loss to the Bengals, the Rams elected for some more read-option runs, this time in the open field. This gave Perkins the chance to show off for the Cincinnati crowd, as he kept the ball on the option and quickly spun away from the approaching defender who was left frozen as a result.

But these were hardly his best runs of the preseason.

In the first half of that game, Perkins had one of the highlights of the preseason as he scurried away from numerous would-be tacklers before breaking free for a first down with his legs. 

On these plays, Perkins' first spilt-second decision wasn't to take off and run, which Snead says makes him dangerous. The unpredictability of his legs combined with the rest of the defense making their way downfield to cover receivers allows Perkins to stay in the pocket for just long enough before taking off if it's something that becomes available. 

"A lot of times you'll see when he does run it, he starts from the pocket and there's an element where the defense is having to right cover a pocket passer and then there's a lane where he has a chance to hit a lane, either between A, B, C or D gaps and go from there," Snead said.

Understandably, it might be considered "sexier" to see a mobile quarterback in action, as the thrill that comes from a signal-caller who takes off to run is a sequence unmatched by most other moments in football. 

But Snead says this talent can often "overshadow" the pocket-passing ability of a guy like Perkins, who wouldn't have made the final roster if he didn't prove he could sling it.

"Obviously, the weapon, the edge superpower, being able to make plays with your feet sometimes, let's call it, overshadow the ability to pass from the pocket," Snead said. "But I do think his natural feel back there gives him that a bit more. He is probably a little sharper weapon because of that and not someone who just immediately takes off.”

Perkins will likely remain in a battle with quarterback John Wolford for most of the season for the right to be named the backup to Matthew Stafford. 

But the dynamic ability he showed in preseason is hard to ignore when considering the backup quarterback role and if the team feels Perkins or Wolford is worth investing more time into. 

The Rams will signal the start of the 2022 season with a season-opening matchup against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 8.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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