RB Kenyan Drake excited to prove Cardinals trade right

TEMPE, Ariz. — Kenyan Drake didn’t appear to ruffle too many feathers on his way out of Miami.

A third-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016, the running back saw the team go on a fire sale by trading away some of his higher-profile former teammates over the last few months. In a contract year, he knew his future in Miami didn’t look promising.

Over the last few weeks, his name was often mentioned in trade rumors.

Expectation became reality with a pre-deadline day trade to the Arizona Cardinals, and Drake enters a situation where he’s needed dearly. The three running backs the team started the year with are sidelined due to injury.

“At the end of the day, my whole entire thing is I wanted to be able to eat,” Drake said after Arizona went through a light practice Tuesday. “I can’t complain about the food that’s on my plate. I’m here to eat.

“I was ecstatic to come play with this high-octane offense, a young quarterback as in Kyler Murray. He can pretty much do it all,” Drake added. “It’s just kind of cool to be in this system with Coach Kingsbury.”

Here’s to the Cardinals hoping Drake knows what’s even on his plate when he takes a bite.

On a short week, he was acquired Monday and arrived in Arizona to get “poked, prodded around like I was at the combine.” He then went straight into a sit-down with running backs coach James Saxon for a crash course in Arizona’s offense.

“Came on the field and it really started to click when I got on the field because I’m more of a, I guess, a tactile learner,” Drake said. “The more I’m on the field, the more comfortable I get.”

Only one day remains for Drake to run around — and lightly at that — before the Cardinals host the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday at State Farm Stadium. There, the running back’s involvement is expected to be significant.

On paper, the 25-year-old is the most qualified to threaten the 49ers defense compared to veterans Zach Zenner and Alfred Morris, who only have a week of experience in Arizona’s offense.

Last year, Drake rushed for 535 yards and four touchdowns with 477 receiving yards and five more scores.

Catching the ball out of the backfield could help him mimic the production of injured running backs David Johnson and Chase Edmonds.

That is, if he can step right in after being taught enough in just two full days of work.

“You go to the swimming pool, you don’t dip your toes. You dive right in,” Drake said.

There’s little time for Drake to look beyond Thursday’s game.

The 25-year-old, however, has just eight games remaining before he’s up for a free agency process that could earn him a big paycheck. The good news for him is that he’s been healthy with 16 games played in every one of his first three seasons.

Drake played in the first six games this year before he stayed home prior to this past week’s game as the Dolphins neared a trade.

Now with the Cardinals, building up Drake’s stock beyond the 49ers game will obviously be impacted by how quickly Johnson (ankle) and Edmonds (hamstring) can return from their respective injuries. Regardless of how that goes, Drake is aware that Arizona’s heavily-criticized asset unloaded to acquire him, a conditional fifth- or sixth-round pick, has already cost his new team.

“I feel like the fact that the Cardinals, no matter what I guess the condition, they used assets to get me to help them continue to build what they have here,” Drake said.

“That means a lot to me and I just want to come here and prove that I’m worth that and more.”

Follow @kzimmermanaz