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The 2024 free agent class is about to characteristic a lot of high-profile working backs. Austin Ekeler is prone to be certainly one of them together with his Chargers deal about to run out.
Ekeler is anticipated to succeed in the open market, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That comes as no shock given the character of Ekeler’s 2023 offseason, one during which he requested for an was granted permission to hunt a commerce. He can have the flexibility to depart the group he has spent his total profession with, though the plethora of completed backs who will even be obtainable will little doubt restrict his worth.
Not one of the three working backs who obtained the franchise tag final yr (Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard) are anticipated to be tagged a second time. No member of that trio carried out at a stage in 2023 which might make them an obvious candidate for a long-term deal, one thing which has little doubt knowledgeable their respective groups’ hesitancy to make a profitable dedication. Schefter confirms that Titans stalwart Derrick Henry can also be anticipated to succeed in free company, one thing which was foreshadowed all through the marketing campaign.
Ekeler sought out a increase on a brand new Chargers deal, and his incapability to land one led to his commerce request. No suitors emerged, and he finally remained in Los Angeles on a re-worked contract. The 2-time NFL chief in whole touchdowns thus set himself up without cost company, whereas being a vocal member of the league’s working backs who’ve aired their frustrations over the stagnant nature of the place’s market. In an period the place a lot of positions have seen surging values, the RB spot has flatlined.
The 2023 marketing campaign was an vital one for Ekeler given his standing as a pending free agent. The 28-year-old was restricted to 14 video games, nevertheless, and he was much less environment friendly when on the sector (3.5 yards per carry) than some other season in his profession. After scoring 38 whole touchdowns from 2021-22, Ekeler managed solely six as a part of a Chargers offense which struggled throughout the board however particularly within the floor sport.
Whereas then-head coach Brandon Staley hinted at a divvying up of working again alternatives late within the marketing campaign, Ekeler averaged 12.8 carries per sport in 2023. That falls according to his utilization fee of the previous 4 seasons, which has seen his profession carries whole attain 990. Many backs at his age have extra mileage on them, however final season’s struggles will nonetheless probably be a key issue working in opposition to him on the open market.
The previous UDFA landed a four-year, $24.5M deal in 2020. That $6.13M AAV ranks eleventh within the league amongst working backs, and Ekeler will probably be hard-pressed to enhance on his standing within the place’s pecking order on his new deal, no matter the place it comes from. Chargers backup Joshua Kelley can also be a pending free agent, so the workforce might see vital turnover on the RB spot within the close to future.
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