Green Bay Packers should trade for RB Kenyan Drake
By Paul Bretl
With the trade deadline just a few weeks away, a name that the Green Bay Packers should be calling on is running back Kenyan Drake of the Miami Dolphins.
With the Miami Dolphins planning for the future, they’ve already traded away a couple of their high-profile players in exchange for draft picks. And one name that continues to pop up as the next man on his way out of Miami is running back Kenyan Drake.
Ian Rapoport reported this morning that the Dolphins have had trade conversations about Drake and that they are willing to make a deal for the right price. With the NFL trade deadline just a few weeks away, Drake is a player that the Green Bay Packers and GM Brian Gutekunst should try to bring to Titletown.
Sources: The #Dolphins have had trade conversations with teams centered around RB Kenyan Drake, and the team has indicated they would trade him if the right offer presented itself. Drake, who has had no extension talks with Miami since camp, would welcome a new opportunity.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 17, 2019
Drake was drafted by the Dolphins in 2016 out of Alabama. Since entering the NFL and joining Miami, he has been an effective part of their offense both as a running back as well as in the passing game.
In his first two full seasons of 2017 and 2018, Drake would total 1,179 yards rushing at very respectable 4.7 yards per carry with seven touchdowns. Meanwhile through the air, Drake had 716 receiving yards, while catching over 70 percent of the passes thrown his way with an additional six touchdowns.
The Miami offense has lined up Drake just about anywhere, and that versatility is an important aspect of being a successful running back in the Matt LaFleur offense. According to Pro Football Focus, last season Drake would take 79 snaps from either the slot or out-wide in addition to the 466 he took out of the backfield.
While Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are a fantastic one-two punch, what Drake can provide to this Green Bay Packers team as a running back in the passing game is something that they just don’t have on the roster at the moment. On Monday night we all watched Jones drop what should have been a touchdown on a beautifully designed play call. And not to be presumptive, but Drake would have caught that pass.
Not to mention that Drake also has NFL experience returning kickoffs which includes one touchdown and a career average of nearly 25 yards per kick return. This is just another way that Drake could provide some needed value to this Packers team.
Given that it is the final year of Drake’s contract and as Rapoport mentioned above, he and the Dolphins have not had any discussions about an extension, the Green Bay Packers could very well land Drake for a Day 3 draft pick.
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Green Bay currently sits at 5-1 overall as well as 3-0 within the NFC North with plenty of potential for a playoff run. Adding Kenyan Drake to the mix would give LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers another much-needed weapon on offense and in the passing game.