The Facts: Early on Wednesday, HC Jay Gruden laid out what he wanted to see from a running back. It wasn't earth shattering; he says the same thing every year. It was noteworthy, though, because of what happened later. Gruden wants his backs to be able to pass protect, to not fumble and to make tough yards. During a red-zone drill, Perine had the ball stripped from him at the 5-yard line. He did not carry the ball again. Maybe that was by design, but it also could have been Gruden letting Perine know that was unacceptable. "Ball security is very important," Gruden had said before practice.

Diehards Line: That said, Perine will get the tough yards. As ESPN.com's John Keim reported, few of the rookie's runs end in anything but a tough collision. Perine will continue to challenge Robert Kelley for the starting job. But days like Monday serve as a reminder Perine has to prove a few things. There's a lot to like -- and other stuff to clean up. Kelley does well with ball security and he's improved in the pass game. Gruden loved some of his short runs last season that he felt weren't blocked well. "Those are the big factors," Gruden said. "Protection, ball security and [being] able to get the tough yards. ..." It's something to watch.