Kenyan Drake will be a steal in free agency. Whoever signs him will be happy with their decision. He was drafted out of the third round from Alabama in 2016 by the Miami Dolphins. In his first season, he played in all sixteen games but only received 33 attempts and 9 catches. In total, he had 179 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. In his sophomore season with Miami, he had a 100 more attempts, which led to more yards.
Although his attempts and yards increased, he only had one more rushing touchdown than the previous year. In 2018, his rushing stats took a slight dive but he was used more in the passing game. On October 28, 2019, Drake was traded to the Cardinals in exchange for a conditional 2020 draft pick. In Arizona, he would take the reins as the lead back due to an injury for David Johnson.
He would finish with a career season in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, where he was actively used in the ground and air attack. Entering this offseason, Drake is a free agent and is looking to find a team. Here are 5 potential landing spots for the former Crimson Tide player.
#5: Arizona Cardinals
After a decent first season under Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals look to improve upon their 5-10-1 record. Kyler Murray had a decent first season as well, but having a strong rushing attack really helped Arizona win games near the end of the season. Drake fits very well into the Cardinals’ system, which makes them a great fit.
This brings up a question of whether or not they have confidence in David Johnson and/or Chase Edmonds as a backup. Drake would obviously want a starting spot on a team, so if the Cardinals want to rely on Johnson, Drake will likely sign with another team.
#4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bruce Arians just finished his first season as the head coach of the Bucs. This season, Ronald Jones was the primary back. After a weak first year, he had a statistically strong sophomore campaign. However, Drake would be a great option and could help support whoever their quarterback is at the time. Although Jones is very young, Drake is also quite young, and has a good future based on his performance with the Cardinals.
#3: Washington Redskins
Over the past years, the Redskins have had trouble finding a running back. In 2018, they selected Derrius Guice to take over, but injuries have hit him hard, with 5 appearances over 2 seasons. Although Guice had a great career at LSU, his continuous risk for injury has led to a blurry future. Adrian Peterson has done well as a bridge, but he is getting older, and it’s time to find their running back of the future. Drake would be a great option if they prioritized the position in free agency.
#2: Tennessee Titans
As most of you know, Derrick Henry is a free agent. Henry is arguably the best running back in the NFL, and the the Titans are going to have to pay serious bucks to keep him. If he were to leave, Drake would be a team-friendly option. Right now, Tennessee only has Dion Lewis, who does not scare opposing defenses. Drake has that ability, and he should be a top priority if Henry leaves.
#1: Houston Texans
The Texans are another team that experienced running back trouble last season, although it didn’t stop them from going to the divisional round. In 2019, Carlos Hyde had the main duties as running back and managed to surpass 1,000 yards on the season.
Despite this, Houston is looking to find another running back in the offseason. If they were to look for a free agent rather than selecting a running back, Drake would be an option, as he and Deshaun Watson would be a very strong backfield.