RB Kenyan Drake Signs Tender with Cardinals
After the Arizona Cardinals placed the transition tag on running back Kenyan Drake Monday, the 6-foot-1, 211-pounder signed the deal Saturday. The one-year tender was worth $8.483 million, right in the ballpark of the speculated $8 million figure that he was reportedly seeking after in free agency.
At the time of signing, the contract is guaranteed, but it is still possible a longer-term contract can be accomplished with the deadline mid-July.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters, “(Drake is) certainly a guy we would like to have back, but again not sure what the market is going to do.”
That market came into better focus this week when former Chargers running back Melvin Gordon agreed to terms on a two-year, $16 million with the Denver Broncos that includes $13.5 million guaranteed and compromised running back Todd Gurley agreed to terms on a one-year, $6 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the Los Angeles Rams. Gurley's contract has $5.5 million guaranteed.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury also said at the Combine, “We’d love to have him back; he’s a perfect fit for our offense. I think he understands that. But I understand the business side of things as well.”
That ideal fit just got a little more snug.
Despite re-signing, Drake is entering a relatively new-look offense thanks in no small part to the franchise's acquisition of former Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a trade for running back David Johnson.
After the Cardinals transition-tagged Drake, it opened the door for the organization to shed Johnson's $10.2 million guaranteed salary for 2020. They found a taker in the Texans — which is fully absorbing Johnson's deal — and acquired a premier superstar in the process. The Cardinals have $6 million in dead money against the cap for Johnson, but that total would have been much higher had they released him.
Drake was acquired from the Miami Dolphins in a trade last October for a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The pick the Cardinals sent to Miami were acquired from the Dolphins for quarterback Josh Rosen last year on the second day of the draft after having selected quarterback Kyler Murray with the first overall pick.
In the eight games he played for the Cardinals, Drake rushed for 643 yards (5.2 per attempt) and eight touchdowns, one of which was for 80 yards. Of his eight rushing touchdowns in those eight games last season, seven came in the final three games of the year. In Week 15, he scored a career-high four touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns. The only player in club history with more in one game was Ernie Nevers in 1929, who still holds the NFL record with six.
“I was really proud to see not only his work ethic, but the skill set he has is so unique," Keim said. "His ability to run, stretch the way he does, ability to catch the ball out of the backfield ... really presented some problems for other teams.”
Added Kingsbury: “He has a burst, a competitive spirit. He came in, picked up the offense quick. I think the opportunity to have the majority of the touches and carry the workload; he seized that opportunity. He had the hot hand, we rode him and couldn’t have been more impressed with what he did for us.”
