The Las Vegas Raiders added Kenyan Drake this offseason, and that should be seen as a good thing for starter Josh Jacobs at running back.
Heading into the 2021 offseason, a lot was said about what the Las Vegas Raiders planned to do in terms of backing up Josh Jacobs. In 2020, Devontae Booker shouldered most of that load, but he left the franchise via free agency, leaving them with Jalen Richard as the No. 2 running back for the Raiders.
Sure, they brought back Theo Riddick in free agency, but the biggest get was Kenyan Drake, a versatile running back who can do so much more than just tote the rock. In Drake, the Raiders got a legitimate backup to Jacobs who can do more than just spell him, if injury bugs bite the way they have through his first two seasons in the league.
Las Vegas may have spent a lot of money on Drake, but he is going to be well worth the investment.
Raiders can be more careful with Josh Jacobs
Since breaking in as a first-round pick of the Raiders, Josh Jacobs has had to more than his fair share of running the football. Becoming the starting running back right away, Jacobs rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie during the 2019 season, before making his first Pro Bowl in 2020.
A powerful runner, who is one of the hardest rushers in the league to take down, Jacobs has also had his fair share of bumps and bruises through his first two seasons, something Drake can help him with. The Raiders will have no problem unleashing Drake on defenses if they need to give Jacobs a rest and help preserve him for the full 17-game slate in 2021.
The move to Drake as the RB2 was a solid one for Las Vegas, who can now work him in situationally, as he has a tremendous skill set of his own. He is a solid pass-catcher, can rack up yards on the ground in bunches, and alongside Jacobs, he gives the Raiders one of the more solid 1-2 punches at running back in the NFL.