Letting Antonio Gibson walk (to the Patriots) earlier on Monday, the Commanders are bringing in a bigger name.
Monday'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 $11.43M, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns in 2021 and 2022, 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.
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, $24.5M 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 reworked 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 that struggled across the board, 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 on Monday, opening a major hole on offense.
The team is still rostering Brian Robinson Jr., 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 RB corps on Monday, as they agreed to a deal with former Ravens back Gus Edwards.
Backup RB Joshua Kelley is also a free agent, so the Chargers will surely be in the market for additional depth at the position.
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