The Raiders are releasing veteran running back Kenyan Drake, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed Monday.
Drake was being pushed for a roster spot by veteran Ameer Abdullah, and the emergence of rookies Zamir White and Brittian Brown also created a numbers game for Drake.
By releasing him after June 1 — rather than trading him — the Raiders assume a 2022 dead cap hit of $3.6 million and a 2023 dead cap hit of $4.4 million. Their 2022 cap savings is $250,000.
The Raiders had high hopes for Drake after signing him to a free-agent contract last year. But they never found a way to utilize him correctly, and he suffered a season-ending ankle injury Dec. 5.
The solid play of Abdullah, who offers a similar skill set to Drake, ultimately cost him his job.
