Getty New Las Vegas Raiders RB Kenyan Drake.
It appears the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to get a little more dynamic on offense. Josh Jacobs has been a stud but he doesn’t make much of an impact in the passing game. The team lost Devontae Booker to the New York Giants in free agency so they needed a new player to backup their former first-round pick.
Well, they’ve found one in Kenyan Drake, according to his agency.
.@KDx32 is Vegas bound 🎲
The Raiders are signing Drake to a two-year deal that’s worth up to $14.5 million, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
That’s a pretty sizable deal for a player who will most likely be No. 2 on the depth chart. Drake was most recently a member of the Arizona Cardinals. He rushed for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He hasn’t rushed for less than 500 yards in a season since his rookie year. Drake will likely get plenty of touches despite sharing the load with Jacobs.
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Why Signing Drake Is a Good Move
Many might see the money the Raiders are giving Drake and question why they’re paying him so much money when they have Jacobs. Though that money should’ve probably gone to the defense, adding another good running back was the right call. First of all, Drake is a good receiver out of the backfield.
He had 103 catches for 822 yards between 2018 and 2019. Jacobs only has 404 receiving yards over his two-year career. Drake certainly brings a new dynamic in that regard.
Another reason this is a smart move is that Jacobs has a tendency to get pretty banged up. He’s a violent runner. That makes for great highlights but it’s not the best thing for the body. He’s been forced to miss four games over the last two seasons and has been limited in others due to injuries. Having Drake on the roster takes a lot of pressure off of Jacobs to be the main guy. Yes, spending $11 million on a running back wasn’t necessary for the Raiders but it was a need and Drake was one of the best on the market.
Raiders Re-Sign Derek Carrier
Around the time that the Drake news dropped, the Raiders also made another transaction. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team reached a one-year deal with tight end Derek Carrier.
The #Raiders and veteran TE Derek Carrier have agreed to terms on a 1-year deal, source said, as Las Vegas keeps one of its own and Carrier is set for his fourth season with the silver and black.
Carrier will now be a Raiders for the fourth season in a row. He’s overshadowed by Darren Waller and Foster Moreau but he’s a good soldier for the team and also plays special teams. There’s no way Jon Gruden would ever go into a season without having at least three tight ends on the roster.
Now, it will be interesting to see if the Raiders make another move at tight end. Last year, they signed Jason Witten and rolled with four tight ends for the entire season. Gruden loves his tight ends so don’t be surprised if he adds another one or three before training camp.
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Raiders Ink Dynamic Running Back to Sizable 2-Year Deal: Report