Austin Ekeler will play for a new team for the first since signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Signed by the Commanders this offseason, Ekeler made it clear that he wasn’t going to be brought back to Los Angeles. Jim Harbaugh wanted a running back who could manage a heavy workload.
“They wanted a guy they can hand the ball off to 300 times a year, and, look, I haven’t had the capacity to do that,” Ekeler said via Up & Adams with Kay Adams.
“That’s not my game. That’s not how Austin Ekeler is going to be the best on the field. So there was a misalignment there, which, no harm no foul. I’ll go somewhere else where Austin can be the best version of myself out there.”
During his time with the Bolts, Ekeler was known for his multidimensional skillset to be able to not only carry the ball out of the backfield, but serve as a pass-catcher.
The most Ekeler rushed was 206 times, which came back in the 2021 season.
Ekeler will split carries with Brian Robinson Jr. in Washington.
The Chargers added former Ravens Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. They are expected to split the carries, like they did in Baltimore.
Los Angeles also drafted Kimani Vidal in the sixth round. Vidal is no stranger to a lot of volume as a rusher, finishing his senior season at Troy with 297 carries.