The veteran running back, Kenyan Drake is expected to don an NFL uniform for his fourth team when the regular season begins next month, despite being a productive player for the majority of his first six seasons. According to NFL Media, Drake will be released by the Raiders, who have been Drake’s employer since the start of the 2021 season.
Drake claimed in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Monday that general manager Dave Ziegler personally called him to inform him of the team’s decision to part ways. “He let me know how they were planning on moving forward, how really uncustomary it was for him to tell me himself, and that was just a testament to the respect he has for me as a player, and as a man,” Drake said.
“They had their guys. I mean, they drafted two running backs, they brought in two other running backs, all who I have admiration for. I have respect for their game. So I have nothing bad to say about the organization with how they decided to move,” Kenyan explicated the AP.
“I’ve been around this game for a while now, and I could just see myself being the odd man out. I feel like it just presents an opportunity for me to go to another team and continue to be the playmaker that I’ve always been.”
After fracturing his right ankle late in the 2021 season, the 28-year-old joined the Raiders again this offseason. Drake, a versatile running back who accumulated more than 1,000 all-purpose yards from 2018 to 20, is undoubtedly looking for a team that will want to capitalize on his skill sets while integrating him into a backfield that won’t rely on him to handle the job.
Because the deal doesn’t have to be completed until Tuesday, that language is crucial. The Raiders won’t have to compete with other teams for Drake’s services on the open market if they locate a trade partner by 4 p.m. ET. Drake signed a two-year contract with the Raiders worth up to $14.5 million in the offseason of 2021, with $11 million guaranteed.
Drake made $5.5 million in the spring, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, and is due an additional $2.5 million guaranteed in the following season.
The new brass, though, determined it was time to move on after Drake’s contract was signed by the previous administration in Las Vegas, which was helmed by head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock.
Last season, Drake ended with 545 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He recorded 10 running touchdowns and 955 yards on the ground in 2020 while playing for Arizona.
