[sendtonews_embed video_id=”JERiQJ4CSf-687925-7498″]
Running back Kenyan Drake has played very well since the trade that sent him from the Miami Dolphins to the Arizona Cardinals. In seven games, he has three 100-yard games. He leads the team with 583 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, six in the last two games.
He will be a free agent after the season and is in line for a nice contract. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has publicly stated he would like to bring him back.
The question is whether or not the Cardinals will be willing to pay him what he can get.
What sort of contract can he expect to command?
We can look at some comps from the last couple of years for players who have been in similar roles.
Drake has 205 total touches this season. he is 25 years old.
The high end of what Drake could command is what the San Francisco gave Jerick McKinnon.
McKinnon had 201 and 202 touches in his last two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He was 25 years old and got four years and $30 million, including $18 million in guarantees.
The 49ers also gave a second contract that could be used as a comp for Drake. After Tevin Coleman had 183 and 199 touches in his final two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and was 25 years old, he signed with the 49ers for two years and $8.5 million. It includes $3.25 million guarantees.
Dion Lewis signed a four-year, $19.8 million contract with the Tennessee Titans in 2018. He was 27 years old and coming off a 212-touch season. The deal came with $5.75 million in guarantees.
A fourth deal to use is the one Duke Johnson got from the Houston Texans. He was 25 last season and was sparingly used, never getting more than 165 touches with the Cleveland Browns.
He signed with the Texans for three years and $15.6 million, with $7.57 in guarantees.
Using those four contracts, the yearly average is between $4.25 million and $7.5 million. The guarantees range from $3.25 million to $18 million.
If the Cardinals want to sign Drake and intend on using him as a No. 1 running back, he can probably command four years and about $25 million with about $8 million in guarantees.
Are fans ready for that?
[vertical-gallery id=428692]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 252:
[protected-iframe id=”65599ee7743ebac0198fabf66970f0d8-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20854910/download.mp3″ ]
Ep. 251:
[protected-iframe id=”0db2998b8165e735bc48c285807b6f3a-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20679628/download.mp3″ ]