Should the Cardinals pay top-dollar for free agent RB Kenyan Drake?

Alex:

Drake was a fantastic player for the Cardinals in 2019. He provided a spark in his first game as a Cardinal against the stout 49ers defense. Drake consistently proved his worth as a starter in this league throughout the rest of the season, with emphasis on his performances against the Cleveland Browns and the Seattle Seahawks. Despite this, the Cardinals have many other holes to fill this offseason(a talented edge rusher is extraordinarily expensive). I hope Kenyan gets the money he deserves for him and his family, but the Cardinals cannot allocate a top-dollar contract to the running back position right now. They will very likely offer him a fair deal, but it’s possible another team offers more.

Jess:

I am torn. Drake was clearly a better fit for the Cardinals than David Johnson. The problem is, unless the contract for Drake is structured right, there isn’t any viable way to have both Drake and Johnson on the roster together, and it looks less and less likely they will be able to trade Johnson.

If Drake is truly seeking $8-$10 million per year, then definitely no. If they can get him for three years and $16.5 million, then you can make that work.

Of course, drafting a running back and keeping Johnson another year might make the most sense. At the top of the second round, there will be some very talented backs available.

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