Raiders to release veteran running back

Raiders trade QB, Release veteran RB

Vikings linebacker Troy Dye (45) wraps up Raiders running back Kenyan Drake (23) near the end zone during the first half of their NFL preseason football game at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Las. Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

Raiders running back Kenyan Drake (23) runs the ball as Minnesota Vikings linebacker Troy Dye (45) attempts to tackle alongside cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @csstevensphoto

More Stories

Raiders Hall of Fame center Jim Otto on the field during a halftime ceremony during an NFL game ...

Raiders ironman center, Hall of Famer Jim Otto dies at 86

Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell takes questions during a media availability on the f ...

3 things to watch as Raiders being OTAs: QB battle begins

Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) blocks against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipul ...

Raiders tight end excited to team with Bowers: ‘We can both do it all’

Raiders’ 3-game preseason schedule finalized with times, dates

By Vincent Bonsignore / Las Vegas Review-Journal

August 22, 2022 - 1:42 pm

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 Brittain 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.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.

Raiders ironman center, Hall of Famer Jim Otto dies at 86

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 19, 2024 - 9:52 pm

Jim Otto, a Hall of Fame center who spent his entire career with the Raiders, died at the age of 86. He was one of the best offensive linemen in pro football history.

3 things to watch as Raiders being OTAs: QB battle begins

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 19, 2024 - 2:19 pm

The Raiders being the third phase of their offseason program Monday, which will give the team a chance to evaluate how some players have progressed this offseason.

Raiders tight end excited to team with Bowers: ‘We can both do it all’

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 18, 2024 - 3:58 pm

Raiders tight end Michael Mayer believes he and rookie Brock Bowers are going to give opposing defenses plenty of headaches this season.

Raiders’ 3-game preseason schedule finalized with times, dates

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 17, 2024 - 7:22 pm

The Raiders’ preseason schedule includes two games at Allegiant Stadium before they open the regular season Sept. 8 at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Raiders rookie John Samuel Shenker (86) runs through drills during rookies first day of practic ...

Raiders mailbag: What’s the team’s record going to be?

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 17, 2024 - 8:00 am

Fans had questions about the Raiders’ offensive and defensive lines, their record and running back Dylan Laube in this week’s mailbag. We have answers.

Sportsbook posts lines on all 17 Raiders games

By Todd Dewey / RJ

May 16, 2024 - 1:08 pm

The Raiders are favored in only two games this season in opening lines posted at DraftKings Sportsbook, which does not operate in Nevada.

Raiders defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (90) holds up the football after forcing a fumble during ...

5 things that stand out about the Raiders’ 2024 schedule

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 16, 2024 - 12:40 pm

The Raiders schedule next season includes plenty of quirks, like the fact that four new teams are traveling to Allegiant Stadium this year.

Raiders linebacker Luke Masterson (59) and linebacker Curtis Bolton (36) chase Los Angeles Char ...

Raiders roasted again in Chargers’ comedic schedule release video

By Adam Hill / RJ

May 16, 2024 - 10:34 am

The Chargers have turned their schedule release video into an annual skewering of their opponents, and this year was no exception for the Raiders and their fans.

Seagulls occupy the upper deck of the Oakland Coliseum with Oakland Athletics fans during the t ...

A piece of Raiders history: Baseball team wants to buy Coliseum bleachers

By Janie McCauley Associated Press

May 16, 2024 - 9:16 am

An independent baseball team is interested in buying 5,000 bleacher seats that were brought into Oakland Coliseum for Raiders games before the team moved to Las Vegas.

Date, time set for 1st of 3 Raiders preseason games

By Vincent Bonsignore / RJ

May 16, 2024 - 9:15 am

The Raiders will play three preseason games this season, giving Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew a chance to state their case as the team’s starting quarterback.