PITTSBURGH _ The Miami Dolphins have made another significant move during their extensive rebuilding process, trading running back Kenyan Drake on Monday before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.
Drake was shipped to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a conditional pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Sun Sentinel has confirmed. The Cardinals are sending Miami a sixth-round pick that could turn into a fifth-round pick next April.
Drake will be remembered in Miami for scoring one of the most memorable touchdowns in Dolphins history, an improbable 69-yard score that needed one hook and two lateral plays to beat the New England Patriots, 34-33, at Hard Rock Stadium on Dec. 9, 2018.
The Dolphins will use their 2020 draft haul, which is now up to 13 picks, to address a number of glaring holes on the roster, including landing a franchise quarterback and dynamic players at edge rusher, cornerback and on the offensive line.
Add running back to those positional needs, and consider it a top priority for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins clearly need to draft another running back, and not just any capable player. They need a talented standout _ a player worth using one of their three draft picks in the first round of the 2020 draft.
The Dolphins have scored only seven touchdowns this season, including five in the last two games before Monday night's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For the rest of this season, the Dolphins will turn to second-year backs Mark Walton and Kalen Ballage _ both fourth-round picks in 2018 _ to carry the load in Drake's absence, while seventh-round pick Myles Gaskin and undrafted rookie Patrick Laird could also see playing time.
Drake, a former third-round pick in 2016, had been the subject of the latest Dolphins trade rumors during the past week.
He was in the final year of his rookie contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
In 3 { seasons with the Dolphins, Drake scored 15 touchdowns with 2,648 all-purpose yards in 54 games.
