Letting Antonio Gibson walk (to the Patriots) earlier Monday, the Commanders are bringing in a bigger name. Today’s running back carousel will now see Austin Ekeler change time zones.
Ekeler is headed to Washington on a two-year deal worth up to $11.43MM, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns in 2021 and ’22, being a vital piece during the early Justin Herbert years. But the Chargers did not budge on an extension. This will lead the dynamic back to join Kliff Kingsbury in Washington.
In terms of base value, the Commanders are set to pay Ekeler $8.43MM, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Ekeler’s $4.21MM in 2024 is fully guaranteed, and he will be tied to a $3MM number in 2025. Additionally, $510K in per-game roster bonuses are in place each season. Incentives — worth $1.5MM each season — comprise the remaining $3MM.
This will reunite Ekeler with ex-Chargers HC Anthony Lynn, who was in charge when the team extended the former UDFA. That was a four-year $24.5MM contract extension he signed with the organization back in 2020. Last offseason, Ekeler sought out a raise on a new Chargers deal, and when an extension didn’t materialize, he asked for and was granted permission to seek a trade. No suitors emerged, and he ultimately remained in Los Angeles on a re-worked contract.
The 2023 campaign was an important one for Ekeler given his status as a pending free agent. The 28-year-old was limited to 14 games, however, and he was less efficient when on the field (3.5 yards per carry) than any other season in his career. After scoring 38 total touchdowns from 2021-22, Ekeler managed only six as part of a Chargers offense which struggled across the board but especially in the ground game.
Considering his connection to the coaching staff, the Commanders surely know what they have in their new RB. The Commanders watched Gibson, their primary pass-catching back, leave for the Patriots today, opening a major hole on offense. The team is still rostering Brian Robinson, who topped 1,100 yards from scrimmage and scored nine touchdowns during his second season in the NFL. The team will surely lean on both of their top RBs, especially with Robinson showing some development in his receiving game in 2023.
The Chargers already started preparing for a new RBs corps today, as they agreed to a deal with former Ravens back Gus Edwards. 2024 backup Joshua Kelley is also a free agent, so the Chargers will surely be in the market for additional depth at the position.
Nice buy-low. Even as less than he once was, I like him as a complement to Robinson.
Yeah he really made a bad move not taking what the Chargers offered in the beginning. He really over estimated what RB’s were worth on the open market. Whenever a team invites you make a deal it means they’ve already tried and nobody wants you for whatever you’re asking, Wake up people.
What offer are you talking about? And no, it doesn’t always mean that. The Eagles let Slay seek a trade and then paid him.
Didn’t they franchise him and offer him a deal? I was pretty sure they did. I could be wrong I suppose. I thought I was wrong once but I was mistaken.
Haha! With a bit more practice you’ll be able to fake humility as well as Aaron Rodgers.
I just hope Swift isn’t is far as the Bears go.
Lol again this shows again RBs don’t realize their value as they age are like cars not houses. A few years ago the Chargers would’ve given him $8-10 mil a year for 3-4 years on an extension. That wasn’t good enough for him. Now he gets $11 mil total.
I called it lmao man I’ve been on a roll today
$5.7m a year and Saq got $12.5 a year.
Ekeler has health issues of his own and is a turnover machine. Terrible signing by Washington.
I mean he’ll compliment Brian Robinson as RB1. Hence the peanut butter contract