Running back Austin Ekeler is entering seventh and what seems to be his last with the Chargers.
“For me, I understand that I have one more obligation here,” Ekeler said at mandatory minicamp.
“One more year that I’m obligated to be here. I wanted to go poke around and see if there was any other value. If not, right? Come back and have my last year. Like I said before, do what I can do here.”
Los Angeles granted Ekeler and his team permission to seek a trade in March, but nothing came out of it.
Instead, Ekeler ended up staying in L.A. after the team added $1.75 million in incentives on the final year of his current contract.
Ekeler may not have gotten what he was looking for, a hefty contract to make him one of the highest-paid running backs. Still, he plans to put his head down and play this upcoming season to the best of his abilities.
“Regardless of what happens here – whether I think it’s fair or not – look, I’m going to try to put myself in the best position I can while I’m here, but I’m also doing that off the field, as well,” Ekeler said.
“So, I’ve kept a pretty open mind, a forward-looking outlook about it.
“I’m not mad. I’m not mad about the situation or anything like that.”
Ekeler, who was signed as an undrafted rookie back in 2017, has run for 34 touchdowns and has caught 29 scores for Los Angeles. He’s amassed 7,125 total yards over that span.