The NFL offseason officially churned into action Monday when the period for teams and free agents to negotiate contracts got underway at noon ET. Before any big names could agree to terms, however, an unexpected veteran approached the market.
Austin Ekeler led the league in total touchdowns in both 2021 and 2022. He has nearly 3,200 yards from scrimmage over that span — more than all but three other players. He’s also in the final year of a four-year, $24.5 million contract that made him one of the league’s biggest bargains in that stretch.
The Los Angeles Chargers haven’t been able to reach an extension with their star tailback. Ekeler reportedly wants permission to find a team that will.
Chargers’ RB Austin Ekeler is requesting permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade after preliminary talks with the team aimed at a contract extension did not progress, his agent Cameron Weiss told ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2023
The 27-year-old dual-threat dynamo is the prototype for a modern NFL running back. He’s effective as a runner and dynamite through the air, averaging better than 4.4 yards per carry and 7.0 yards per target the last four seasons while developing into a trusted playmaker next to Justin Herbert. But betting on aging tailbacks is a gamble the Chargers are reportedly hesitant to make, particularly with limited salary cap space coming in 2024 and a megadeal for Herbert on the horizon.
That could push Ekeler to the trading block. And if it does, he’d push his way in front of a robust crop of free agent runners as the top available veteran RB of 2023. Here are the teams likely adjusting their plans to give LA general manager Tom Telesco a call.