Kenyan Drake has heard the chatter. He’s seen the headlines and read the lists.
Anytime the Cardinals seem to be mentioned on a national stage lately, it’s almost always in a positive vein and it oozes with superlatives like how they “won the offseason,” are poised to be the next franchise to go from “worst to first” and are ready to finally be taken seriously in the NFL.
The folks in Las Vegas apparently agree because the odds makers already have Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury among the betting favorites to win Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year honors.
That’s all well and good, Drake said, but the team’s star running back knows all the hype doesn’t mean diddly squat right now.
“I feel like the game is never won on paper; it’s always won on the field,” Drake said Tuesday during his first a video conference call with reporters since signing a one-year transition-tag tender with the Cardinals back in March.
“When you’re out there playing a game and you have these expectations, you can’t let those things really dictate what you do. When you’re playing a game, that’s the only thing that you can do is go out there and be who you are. We appreciate the expectations, but at the end of the day, it’s all about going out there and playing the game itself.”
Not that Drake doesn’t have his own heavy expectations for the Cardinals, whenever it is that they and the rest of the league returns to business and gets ready for the 2020 season. He’s as thrilled as anyone about all the additions and improvements Arizona has made the past few months.
It started with a bang, too. One of General Manager Steve Keim’s first major moves was pulling off the blockbuster trade with the Texans to acquire DeAndre Hopkins.
“When you trade for one of the top receivers in the league, if not the top receiver in the league, it’s going to bolster any offense,” Drake said. “With the style of play we have, it’s only going to help this team and be a nuisance for everybody in the NFC West for years to come. And it’s not only because of his ability, but Kyler’s ability to play the way he plays at quarterback and will continue to get better year in and year out, game in and game out.
“I was really excited about the trade. I didn’t really see it coming. I look forward to seeing what I saw a couple times from across the sideline when I saw him up close.”
As much as everyone will be curious to see the type of numbers Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro, can put up with his new team, just as many eyes should probably be kept on Drake this season. Last year, after all, was the first time in his four NFL seasons that he was utilized as the full-time featured running back.
He didn’t even get that opportunity until his midseason trade from the Dolphins. But once he got to Arizona and replaced David Johnson as the No.1 ball carrier, he succeeded better than anyone could have hoped. Drake rushed for 643 yards on just 123 carries (5.2 average) and eight touchdowns, nearly matching his previous career total (nine) over three and a half seasons.
Kingsbury, whom Drake referred to Tuesday as a “mad genius,” has said he plans to make the tailback one of the most integral parts of the Cardinals’ up-tempo spread offense. And considering the home-run threat he is out of the backfield and his ability to make huge splash plays as a pass catcher, the numbers could be eye-popping good.
“My ceiling,” Drake said, “is as high as I’ll take it.”
His opportunities could be limitless if everything falls into place. Drake knows that better than anyone after watching how he thrived down the stretch as Kingsbury’s offense continued to round into form. With Murray expected to make a huge leap after starting all 16 games and being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Kingsbury with a full year in the league under his belt, and the addition of Hopkins and others, Drake could benefit as much if not more as anyone.
“I definitely feel like with the dynamic weapon Kyler is at the quarterback position, it allows teams to not have a run-blitz maybe as much as they would like to or be able to fill the box up as much as they would like,” he said. “Because he not only can run the ball, but he can throw the ball very well. And then also you add the weapons that we have on the outside, just specifically DeAndre Hopkins, who adds another weapon on the outside that takes away from guys being in the box.
“The less players they have in the box, the easier it is to run against that box. I’m looking forward to not necessarily having easier boxes to run through … but they wouldn’t be able to put that many people to the run game when you have so many dynamic weapons around in Kyler and Larry and everybody else that we have that can create a threat on the outside as well as me lining up out wide, Chase (Edmonds) lining up out wide. We just have a very versatile offense that you can’t put a focal point on.”
If opposing defenses try to stack their front seven up front in an effort to slow down Drake and the Cardinals’ running game, Murray’s wide receivers will be left in single-man coverage and someone’s going to get open. If teams decide to double-team Hopkins with bracket coverage, Drake could see noting but open range and have himself a field day.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to 1, put myself in the best situation and 2, to be available to be able to do that,” he said. “The best ability is availability is what I’ve heard in my time. … I’m really just trying to (prepare) my body to a situation where I can … touch the ball as much as possible and try to help the team win as many games as we can.”
More wins likely mean bigger and better numbers for Drake, especially when it comes to cashing in next year should he play this season under his one-year tag offer for $8.4 million. He and the Cardinals have until mid-July to come to terms on a multi-year contract or else he will become an unrestricted free agent again after this season.
“I think anyone who plays this game is obviously looking for stability and a long-term contract, but we got the deal done in the sense of where we are currently,” Drake said. “Right now, all I can do is go out there and focus on the things I can control.
“I’m really excited just from the fact it’s another year to strap it up and go out and prove your worth and really just play the game that I’ve loved since I was 6 years old. I tell people all the time, ‘I’d play this game for free if the NFL didn’t pay me so handsomely.’ So, I appreciate the opportunity to play the game I love and play this game with high-caliber athletes all around me to go out there and make this game even more fun, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch and every Wednesday night from 7-9 on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.
News and information you can trust. Start your online subscription.
Sports - Latest - Google News
May 27, 2020 at 06:39AM
https://ift.tt/3gyQL6D
Kenyan Drake: Cardinals could 'be a nuisance for everybody in NFC West for years to come' - AZCentral
Sports - Latest - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Mbsnt7
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Kenyan Drake: Cardinals could 'be a nuisance for everybody in NFC West for years to come' - AZCentral"
Post a Comment