Can Chargers fix fractured relationship with RB Austin Ekeler?
The Los Angeles Chargers and Austin Ekeler spent the better part of last offseason going round and round as the 28-year-old running back repeatedly expressed his desire for a raise and a long-term contract extension.
Now that Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley have both been replaced by Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh, respectively, there may be hope for the team to repair its fractured relationship with the star RB.
“If things go well, it's going to be because of guys like Austin Ekeler and the players," Harbaugh told the Associated Press over the weekend. “I like Austin Ekeler. We're going to have a huge emphasis on the run game, and we got to block better up front. He's a tremendous back and we'd love to have him on the team next year.”
After requesting a trade last March, Ekeler ultimately rescinded it once the team reworked his 2023 deal to provide him with an extra $1.75M in incentives. But that doesn’t mean that his initial issue of being underpaid is water under the bridge.
Ekeler has accounted for 1,550 yards from scrimmage with 11 or more touchdowns in three of the last five seasons, and he wants to be paid like one of the top players at his position.
“For me, it's an open book, really,” Ekeler said on his “Ekeler's Edge” podcast. “I haven't closed anyone off. There's obviously things that I'm looking at that I can't negotiate on. I definitely want a fair market price, whatever that turns to be. And that's going to be determined.”
While it seems he hasn’t ruled out a return to the Chargers, Ekeler appears to be considering all of his options. L.A. will be running a new offensive system under Harbaugh — one that could lead to more carries and touches for Ekeler should he return.
He also stated that his dual value as both a running back and a receiver may be appealing to more teams than just the Chargers.
“Are you in need of a running back?” Ekeler asked. “Is it going to be a tandem, or do you want me to be your main guy? Hey, are you actually in a place where you like throwing the ball to your running backs, or [are] we running 30 times a game? All of these different fits are going to have to play in a part of, hey, where am I going? What's the conversation? So that opens up here in a month.”
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