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The Detroit Lions have been looking for help on the trade market, and they could be targeting an offensive upgrade when all is said and done ahead of the NFL trade deadline this week.
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, the Lions have been one of the most aggressive teams in looking for upgrades at running back in recent days on the trade market.
Robinson goes on to speculate that the Lions could be in the mix for Kenyan Drake given some of the connections between the Detroit front office and staff and the Miami front office and staff. While it doesn’t sound as if the Lions have a deal cooking yet, it will be something to watch in the hours ahead.
Drake a Target?
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. Rumors now hold that Drake has been traded, and the Dolphins are ready to make a move.
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 cost might be a fourth or a fifth round pick, which the Lions could cough up to give themselves some depth in the offensive backfield.
Other Spots of Interest
One other name that has surfaced is Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon. Gordon, who just recently returned to the team after a lengthy holdout, may have been replaced already by Austin Ekler. If the Chargers decide they don’t want to pay Gordon, he could soon be on the move, and one analyst already sees the fit in Detroit.
According to Jordan Reid of The Draft Network, Gordon makes sense in Detroit for the Lions as a team fit, and is a player the Lions should look at for a move. Another name on the market could be Rashaad Penny from the Seattle Seahawks.
Detroit might look at an upgrade for a defensive upgrade along their line given some of their troubles there or on the back end given injuries, but at this point, the running back might be the most obvious spot the team could decide to add to the roster.
At this point, if the Lions make a move, it seems like it will be for a runner.
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