Las Vegas Raiders to cut Kenyan Drake, eat his $3.6M salary hit

The Los Vegas Raiders have parted ways with running back Kenyan Drake. The former Alabama Crimson Tide standout must have been seen as expendable by head coach Josh McDaniels and his staff because the Raiders appear to be happy to eat his contract — which can't be that tasty.

According to ESPN, the Raiders are planning on eating Drake's $3.6 million salary hit this season and the $4.4 million he'll count against the cap in 2023. In total, the Raiders will be losing $8 million in salary cap room, which is small peanuts, but every bit helps if an organization gets into a crunch.

Drake was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and spent the first four years of his career in Miami followed by two with the Arizona Cardinals.

Vegas signed Drake last spring and he played in 12 games for the Raiders, rushing 63 times for 254 yards and two touchdowns before breaking his ankle.

He was returning from that injury and played in all three of Vegas' preseason games before being cut.

With Josh Jacobs, Brandon Bolden, and rookie Zamir White all ahead of him on the depth chart, perhaps it's best for Drake to take the money and run to greener, more running back needy, pastures.