Getty Kenyan Drake runs against the Redskins.
The Detroit Lions will soon begin to bargain shop along with other NFL teams during the NFL’s trade deadline period, and the team is apparently interested in their first name.
Running back Kenyan Drake has apparently drawn the Lions interest, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans according to Neil Driscoll of Pro Football Network. Drake has been a fixture with the Miami Dolphins since 2016 when the team drafted him in the third round out of Alabama.
Since, he’s been a player who has done a little bit of everything in the league and been one of the best dual threat players in football. At the trade deadline, he could be a very valuable commodity for a team like Detroit, who might need one more offensive weapon to help them move the chains and score touchdowns.
Drake was given the keys to the starting role when the Dolphins moved on from Jay Ajayi and has taken his game to the next level ever since. In rebuild mode, it might be time for the Dolphins to move on and get some assets for the player, which is how he may have made it onto the trading block in the first place.
The Facts
Drake has been a very productive runner in the NFL with the Dolphins, rushing for 1,358 yards and 9 touchdowns. He’s also gotten loose for 6 scores through the air as a receiver, and has 762 reception yards as a true dual threat player. Drake brings it in a variety of ways for his team and adds the element of speed and elusiveness out of the backfield.
Some of Drake’s best games have come against the New England Patriots, which gives Matt Patricia a good idea of what the runner brings to the table. In 2017, he collected 193 total yards from scrimmage against Patricia’s defense, showing what he can do to the man who now coaches the Lions.
The Fit
Many might question the fit of Drake in Detroit with Kerryon Johnson, but the reality is, Drake could give the team the right kind of mix to help Johnson out. He can catch passes and take some of the load off Johnson, and could be an explosive piece for a Detroit offense which has struggled to cash in big plays and meaningful touchdowns.
As with any trade, the sticking point will have to be price. But if the Lions could get Drake cheaply for a middle round pick, he could be a huge upgrade to the offense. At just 25 years old, he’s also a player who will be around for some time along with Johnson in a possible 1-2 punch role if the team were able to land him.
The Lions could need some help defensively and have chosen in the past to look for defensive players when making upgrades, but this season, they could benefit from adding some offense. The team may have underachieved in closing out big games due to their lack of being able to run away from teams.
Drake, if he were a player targeted, could offer them the ability to do just that.
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