The Los Angeles Chargers have been at odds with star running back Austin Ekeler for months after the team failed to reach a contract extension with him. This led to Ekeler requesting a trade from the team, which appears to be the next course of action for the Chargers organization.
Chargers head coach Brandon Staley recently made it clear that they “want him to be a Charger.” However, it appears that likely will not be the case after a significant development on Wednesday.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chargers have granted Ekeler permission to seek a trade this offseason. This reportedly comes after multiple attempts from the Chargers to extend him dating back to the last offseason.
Ekeler has consistently proven over the years to be one of the best all-purpose running backs in the league. Last year was no exception, racking up 1,637 total scrimmage yards to go along with 18 total touchdowns.
He should certainly garner some attention from interested NFL teams. Many took notice of this news on Wednesday and speculated about potential landing spots for him.
The market price in free agency for an aging running back like Austin Ekeler has unfortunately never been very high despite his excellent production.
However, we have seen how impactful a great dual-threat running back can be to a contending team recently. The San Francisco 49ers traded for star running back Christian McCaffrey last year and clearly became a much more dynamic offense.
It’s unclear when or how much Ekeler would get the Chargers in return if he is ultimately traded. Regardless, it seems like it could just be a matter of time until he is ultimately moved.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.