Team sound more than willing to sign Drake to new contract
Don’t be surprised if the Cardinals announce in the near future they have reached terms on a new contract with running back Kenyan Drake, who has jumped into the starting role since his midseason acquisition from the Dolphins.
During his weekly appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Friday, General Manager Steve Keim indicated the Cardinals have full designs on pursuing a deal with Drake, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and the don’t necessarily plan to wait until after the season to begin negotiations or reach a multi-year deal.
Keim made it clear once again that the Cardinals were planning to target Drake in free agency anyway in 2020, but now that he’s here, they want him to stay.
Keim also reiterated that when the trade was made to acquire Drake, it wasn’t done just because the Cardinals’ top two running backs, David Johnson and Chase Edmonds, were dealing with injuries.
“Well, I would say this: Just the mindset of going into making the trade for Kenyan Drake, it wasn’t done because we had two backs that were injured and it was sort of a stop-gap situation,” Keim said. “If that was the case, my mindset was we would’ve signed a guy off the street.
“We truly felt that this was the type of player Kenyan Drake was and that’s why we made the trade for him and sort of hoped this was the kind of success that he will have.”
Drake has averaged 70 yards rushing — 4.8 yards per carry — through six games with the Cardinals, including two 100-plus yard efforts.
His most recent came last Sunday when he rushed for a career-high 137 yards and four touchdowns during Arizona’s 38-24 victory over Cleveland to snap a six-game losing streak.
Both Johnson and Edmonds are under contract, but the Cardinals are on the hook for Johnson’s guaranteed salary of $10.2 million next season. The team will have plenty of salary-cap maneuvering to afford Johnson’s salary as well as a new deal for Drake.
Pugh plans on playing
The Cardinals could be without starting left tackle Justin Pugh on Sunday when they play the Seahawks in Seattle, but Pugh hopes to play despite missing practice most of the week with a back issue.
“I tested it out today and we’ll do some more of that tomorrow and I plan to be ready to go on Sunday,” Pugh said Friday. “My goal is to play. I’ve been up for every game this year.”
Pugh has missed 16 games over the last two years because of injuries and has only played in all 16 games in a season once. That was his rookie year with the Giants in 2013.
“That was my goal going into this season — to play in all 16 games this year,” Pugh said. “I ended the last three years on IR (injured reserve) and I just had a goal this year to play in all 16 and I’m really close to that. ”