The Baltimore Ravens have signed Kenyan Drake to the practice squad after bringing the veteran in for a visit earlier in the week,
Drake, 29, spent the 2022 season with the Ravens. While he did not set the world alight, he was beyond adequate as the team’s fourth-string running back.
Baltimore’s acquisition of Drake comes amid the recent injury to J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins’ Achilles tear in Week 1 has ruled him out for the rest of the season. As a result, the team relied on a tandem of Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, with Melvin Gordon as the support act in Week 2. Despite having just two days of practice, Drake may have to suit up for Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts due to Hill’s recent injury.
Baltimore Ravens Reunite With Kenyan Drake
Kenyan Drake in 2022
In 2022, as part of Baltimore’s running back committee, Drake played 11 games and ran for 482 yards and four touchdowns while also tacking on 89 yards and a touchdown through the air.
As a fourth-string running back, those are decent numbers. It is also worth noting that Drake had some exceptional performances, such as against the New York Giants, but also posted some duds. In all, his efforts in 2022 were deemed to be worthy of a 53.1 PFF grade – uninspired but not disastrous.
After leaving the Ravens as a free agent at the end of the season, Drake signed with the Colts. However, he failed to make the Colts’ final 53 and has been a free agent since.
Kenyan Drake is returning to the Ravens and signing with their practice squad pic.twitter.com/WRDvqbyleC
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) September 20, 2023
How the Baltimore Ravens Signing Kenyan Drake Makes Sense
The Ravens Running Backs
A reunion between Baltimore and Drake presents opportunity for both parties. As it stands, Baltimore’s running back room is thin following Dobbins’ injury. Edwards and Hill are leading the way and have been solid so far.
The only remaining backup would have been Gordon. Given how Gordon struggled last season, relying on him to start was always going to be a tough proposition for a team with Super Bowl ambitions.
The wildcard here is Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell, an undrafted rookie, is currently on IR. However, he impressed this off-season and earned a roster spot. He is expected to return soon. If Todd Monken and the Ravens trust Mitchell to be reliable, they just need their current backs to hold up until Week 5. If this happens, Drake and Gordon could spend the rest of the year on the practice squad.
It was recently revealed that the Ravens could make a move for Cam Akers, a player that they were “checking in” on. With Drake’s arrival, assume that the Ravens are done making moves at running back unless another running back is forced to miss significant time.
Why Kenyan Drake is a Good Fit for Ravens
In terms of Drake fitting in, this is essentially a non-concern. In Monken’s offensive system, Drake would be a valuable asset due to his versatile skillset.
Under Greg Roman’s smashmouth system last season, Drake was used as a pure runner, like all of Baltimore’s running backs. However, this failed to showcase Drake’s ability to play in space.
When on the Arizona Cardinals, Drake cemented himself as a top running back. At the time, in Kliff Kingsbury’s system, he was used as both a pure runner and a receiver. Even before then, his days with the Miami Dolphins showed that he was a capable pass catcher out of the backfield. The ‘Miami Miracle’ is testament to his explosiveness in space.
With Monken looking to get running backs more involved in the passing game, Drake makes a lot of sense for Baltimore.
December 9, 2018: The Miami Miracle pic.twitter.com/FQn55BlzFA
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) December 9, 2022
Drake’s addition also seems rather timely. He joins the week that Baltimore play against Indianapolis, his team during the off-season. Expect Drake to offer some insight to Baltimore’s coaches about the Colts’ offensive playbook.
From a financial perspective, this move is a no-brainer for Baltimore. Drake costs the team close to nothing on a one-year deal. This makes him an ideal plug-and-play running back for 2023 without any long-term commitment.
Given how Drake fits into Baltimore’s system, coupled with his familiarity with the team and its culture, this could be a year where Drake re-kindles some of his explosive form. Without Dobbins, he could carve out a significant role in the running back rotation by the end of the season, allowing him to parlay this season into something greater for 2024.
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