Las Vegas Raiders: 3 surprise cuts prior to 2022 free agency

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Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Kenyan Drake (23) runs with the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Las Vegas won 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Las Vegas Raiders: 3 surprise cuts prior to 2022 free agency

Kenyan Drake

When Drake was first brought onto the Las Vegas Raiders, many thought his contract was way too high, especially when considering the team already had a starting running back in Josh Jacobs. Thankfully for Vegas, Drake did before when given the opportunity.

In the first three weeks, he had 13 receptions for 138 yards. He didn’t get a lot of touches on the ground, but he was a valuable asset for Carr in the passing game. His production slowed until week six in Denver where he earned two touchdowns, one of which came on a beautiful wheel route.

He played a big role in the win against Philadelphia too. In that game, he ran for 69 yards and earned another touchdown. Eventually, his season was cut short after suffering an injury in Vegas’ loss to Washington.

While Drake played well, his contract is still a bit steep, especially when he functions primarily as a backup. Also, the NFL is rich with running back talent, and more often than not a running back will have success if they run behind a good offensive line. So, Las Vegas could explore the running back market and find a running back that is cheaper than Drake and just as good. Also, cutting Drake would free up almost three million in cap.

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