Kenyan Drake says Jon Gruden and his plan for the working again drew him to the Raiders

Free company is flying by, and there have been loads of notable signings made that ought to assist groups instantly in 2021. One of many extra stunning signings was made by the Las Vegas Raiders, as they inked former Arizona Cardinals working again Kenyan Drake to a two-year deal that might reportedly attain as much as $14.5 million. 

It was a stunning transfer because the Raiders have already got a number of working backs — together with Professional Bowl working again Josh Jacobs — however this addition is about including weaponry, not including a working again. Whereas Drake would not determine to be a “starter” in Vegas, he says he is high quality with that. He has purchased into the Raiders’ imaginative and prescient for him, which was cast by none aside from head coach Jon Gruden. 

“Coach Gruden was simply head and shoulders above all people when it comes to curiosity in my potential to sort of are available in and be a playmaker in a number of sides of the sport, and I actually relished in that chance to sort of come right here and have the ability to play with Josh as a result of I respect his sport rather a lot, and I am certain the sensation is mutual,” stated Drake, by way of the Raiders’ official web site. “Clearly, we’ve got our alma mater to thank for that, in Roll Tide Alabama, so I really feel like I needed to soar on the alternative to play with him and for use in a mess of how to have the ability to simply get the ball and make performs for this staff.”

Drake rushed for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns whereas averaging 4 yards per carry final season with the Cardinals. He additionally caught 25 of 31 targets for 137 yards. Whereas Drake wasn’t a lot of a receiving again throughout his quick time with the Cardinals, he possesses that sort of potential as a weapon out of the backfield. The truth is, throughout the 2018 season with the Miami Dolphins, Drake caught 53 passes for 477 yards and 5 touchdowns. With Jacobs holding down the motion between the tackles, count on Drake to be catching extra passes in Sin Metropolis. 

“Effectively, with my talents, simply being a starter quote on quote is not one thing that could be a excessive precedence when it comes to being on the market for nonetheless many performs,” stated Drake. “What coach Gruden stated that how he was going to make use of me was simply being on the sector in a mess of how, taking part in receiver, taking part in working again. Simply being able to sort of use my versatility as a weapon within the open area is one thing that basically spoke to me, and to sort of share that function with Josh and him being clearly such a succesful again, I really feel prefer it spells success for this staff.”