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While the Raiders have been busy trading most of their offensive line to free up cap space, they went out and made a big investment at running back. They are signing veteran running back Kenyan Drake, according to his agent.
The deal is for two years at a hefty $14.5 million with $11 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The #Raiders have signed RB Kenyan Drake to a 2-year, $14.5M deal, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2021
That’s a significant deal considering the Raiders already have first-round pick Josh Jacobs as their workhorse back. And between the two of them, the Raiders now have an all-Alabama Crimson Tide backfield.
Drake was a third-round pick in 2016 out of Alabama by the Miami Dolphins. The season Drake left, Jacobs arrived in Tuscaloosa, so the two were never college teammates.
In 2019, the Dolphins traded Drake to the Cardinals for a sixth-round pick. He put up 623 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry in eight games for the Cards and they re-signed him last offseason to a one-year $8.5 million deal.
Last season he ran for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 games, averaging 4 yards per carry. The 6-1, 211-pounder should offer some pop to a two-headed backfield, which is what Gruden has traditionally preferred.
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