The Miami Dolphins are attempting to acquire all of the draft capital they can possibly obtain. Among the players who could still be traded soon is running back Kenyan Drake.
Just two weeks into the young season, Miami has already traded Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, Kiko Alonso, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick was the 11th overall pick in last year's draft—so it goes to show they are willing to listen intently on offers for anyone.
According to multiple reports, the Dolphins engaged in trade discussions involving Drake already. Despite the trade rumors, Drake has reiterated that he wants to remain with the team that drafted him in 2016.
The Dolphins running back hasn't been favorably utilized in the offense this season with just 17 touches in two games. With Kalen Ballage sitting behind him, Miami feels comfortable with the idea of moving on from Drake.
So far, the only catch has been finding a trade partner that is willing to take in the versatile running back. At this point of the season, there aren't many teams who are in need of assistance in their backfield.
Even so, here are three teams who should consider trading for the Dolphins running back.
3. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions already have their workhorse running back in Kerryon Johnson but they could still use help in their backfield. Under new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Detroit is showing a tendency of wanting to run the ball more in 2019.
Through two weeks in the season, the Lions have handed the ball off 60 times to their running backs (eighth-most in NFL). Earlier in the offseason, the team signed veteran C.J. Anderson but they recently released him to sign Paul Perkins.
Perkins hasn't done much in the NFL and it remains to be seen if he can contribute for the offense. Therefore, it would be wise for Detroit to inquire about Kenyan Drake if the Dolphins make him available via trade. A one-two punch with Johnson and Drake would pay dividends for Matthew Stafford.
2. Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey is one of the best dual-threat running backs in the NFL, but it isn't a terrible idea to pair him with someone who can give him some rest on some plays. The Panthers running back touched the ball 326 times in 2018 and is on pace to touch the ball 376 times in 2019.
At this moment, Carolina is relying on Reggie Bonnafon and Jordan Scarlett as their backup running backs. The only thing is, both of those guys have combined to touch the ball a grand total of zero times.
That goes to show the lack of confidence they have on their depth options at running back. Adding Kenyan Drake would add another dimension to the offense and keep Cam Newton upright more often.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The team that needs a reliable running back the most is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bruce Arians has utilized both Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones in Tampa Bay's rushing attack this season.
Among those two ball carriers, Barber is considered the team's starter; with him carrying it 31 times compared to Jones' 17 carries. Neither has shown enough to be considered a long-term solution to the running game though.
Barber boasts a career average of 3.8 yards per rushing attempt—including a 3.7 yards per carry so far this season. On the other hand, Jones holds a career average of 3.2 yards per attempt in his two seasons in the NFL.
Comparatively, Kenyan Drake has flashed his big-play ability as a dynamic weapon on offense with 5.5 yards per touch in his four seasons in the NFL. The Dolphins running back could provide a much-needed spark in an inconsistent Buccaneers offense.
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