90-in-90 Bengals Roster Breakdown: Cedric Peerman a roster essential

Cedric Peerman is one of the more underrated players on the Bengals. When people hear that the Bengals had eight players named to the Pro Bowlers last season, they will likely forget Peerman was one of them. Peerman went as a special teamer, an alternate after Matthew Slater of the Patriots decided not to go.

Many casual football fans don’t find special teams to be all that important, but don’t get caught telling that to coaches or players. Whether it is setting up field position by blocking and covering punts, or returning the ball and putting points on the board, special teams end up having a huge impact on every NFL game. They don’t call it a game of inches for nothing.

Many rookies or young players looking to make an NFL roster are often told that the more they can do, the harder it is for a team to cut them. Often times, that means playing special teams. When Peerman joined the Bengals in 2010 he quickly began contributing on the special teams and with great success. Peerman became one of the leaders of the special teams, and because of that, has had no trouble finding his spot on the roster, despite being the fourth best running back on the roster.

Player Info

Height: 5’10
Weight: 212 pounds
Age: 29
College: Virginia
Hometown: Lynchburg, VA
Experience: 7th-year player

Contract

2016 Stock

Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Peerman’s stock has never been higher. He is the leader of the special teams unit and has found a role as a veteran voice among the mostly-young special teams players. Last season the Bengals played six rookies on kick coverage.

“I think it even shows you how much better Ced Peerman played,” Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “He was the leader of that group and he played really well. He was very deserving of that Pro Bowl that he got. He was deserving of that. I think it goes to show you how well he really played to lift the level of the rest of those young guys.”

Peerman doesn’t contribute much on offense. He has 23 carries the past three seasons including none last year, but the Bengals don’t need him to be anything other than the fourth running back on the depth chart. Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard handle nearly every running back snap, and that leaves Peerman free to focus on covering kicks.

Roster Chance

Despite adding little to the offense, Peerman is an essential player for the Bengals.. It is rare to find a selfless player like Peerman who gets that he can make a career in the NFL by becoming ‘The Guy’ for kick coverage.

"Playing special teams is not like a glamour position.” Peerman said. “A lot of people don’t understand what special teams cover players do, so it’s just nice to be appreciated every once in awhile.”

After earning a Pro Bowl appearance in 2015, it’s safe to say Peerman isn’t going anywhere in 2016 and will be a Bengals again this year.