The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest free agent next month will be running back Kenyan Drake. They already re-signed receiver Larry Fitzgerald and left tackle D.J. Humphries.
The Cardinals would like to bring him back and have not been shy about it.
However, Drake doesn’t appear to be in a hurry to re-sign.
General manager Steve Keim said at the NFL combine that Drake is “certainly a guy we’d like to have back, but (we’re) not sure what the market is going to do.”
The Cardinals can re-sign Drake before teams can begin to contact him on March 16, but seems unlikely to happen.
Keim would not speak about the market if Drake wasn’t set on seeing what sort of offer he can command in free agency once he is able to negotiate with any team.
There is a rumor he is seeking big money — $8-$10 million per year. The Cardinals almost certainly won’t pay him that much, especially with David Johnson still on the roster.
Of course, this could work out for the Cardinals. Drake and his representation likely already know the contract number the Cardinals are willing to pay or wish to pay him. If Drake doesn’t get a significantly better offer, he very well could return.
However, it seems clear that there won’t be anything new to know until after free agency begins.
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