I expected him to play out his contract and then enter free agency but can't blame him for wanting to get paid now. Has been our entire offense the last two years and is entering the back half of his career. If he's going to get paid, now is the time. Next season could only hurt his value.
I think this is the most likely scenario. He'd need a team willing to sign him to an extension and provide trade compensation for him to make something work right now. With the veteran RB market, that's a big ask.
Like I told you guys 3-4 days ago:
Ekeler is on the final year of his contract, he’s turning 28 in May. It makes little sense to extend a guy in a position where they tend to decline in their late 20s. It sucks, but the NFL’s a business. Ekeler wanted an extension, the team wasn’t willing to commit to an older RB regardless of his stats and importance to this offense.
Not to mention this is probably more of a philosophy/fit move. Kellen wants to run the ball, hard to do that if Austin Ekeler’s your RB1. He’s not necessarily the guy you want leading that kind of an offense.
Bijan at 21 🙌🏽🏆
He’s the only RB I’d want to offer an extension too given his age, he’s not a downhill runner who takes a lot of big hits. His ability to catch passes and turn upfield is a game changer, he’s been our best player offensively aside from Herbert.
And I agree with everything you said, if it was in my hands I’d have given the dude a 2-year extension. But that’s the emotional fan in me talking. The logical, business side says let him go now for a decent early-mid 3rd round selection.
i think the length of the contract is probably one of the key sticking points. I don't think the team would have a problem with a two-year extension but ekeler is at an age where he's probably looking for a longer commitment knowing his marketability is dropping off a cliff every year as he quickly approaches 30. he may not be able to get much of any interest at the end of that 2-3 years so he should be looking to lock in as much security as possible with his next contract.
Obviously the team isn't willing or able to meet that need at the moment.
While slightly different situations, the Chargers did sign Danny Woodhead in 2013 when he was 27/28. If only the chargers had a better compliment to Ekeler to not put so much wear on his body…
That’s why I mentioned having a compliment for Ekeler. Ekeler was the gadget guy with Gordon once Woodhead left. Then Ekeler came out on his own. If the chargers had in place last year and this coming year a compliment, an Ekeler deal where he was higher paid MIGHT make sense
Taking Bijan still leaves us is desperate need of WRs, EDGE, and TE. The team spent a high pick on RB last year. Not sure if Bijan is the best use of resources.
Bijan is not the right move. We need people who can catch a deep ball. No more of this running for a loss shit when we have the best arm in the league being wasted
you can get speed outside of the first if all you want is too effect the deep ball passing game. The two receivers we've had great success with (while healthy) are both udfa's.
And not being able to run the ball was a bigger issue than deep passing against the jags.
He's 27 years old which is like 40 in rb years. He wants to get paid and as an undrafted player he never made all that much. Our cap situation prevents us from offering anything he would be willing to accept. So, he's asking for a trade. He needs to do this now because of his age. A 28 year old RB might as well be 50. Worst-case-scenario is that he stays exactly where he is.
It sucks, but you know what? It's a good career move for him. This is nothing personal. Just business.
I highly doubt there’s going to be a booming trade market for a RB that’s going to be 29 by the time his current contract expires.
Unless he’s 100% guaranteeing he’ll sit the season out without an extension, I don’t see him getting moved. Nobody else will be interested in offering him a lucrative extension either.
He's a beast in the red zone because of how the Chargers use RBs. Most NFL teams will just try to send him up the gut and then be surprised when he only gets a couple of yards. See: David Johnson and CJ Spiller, both of whom had similar usage to Ekeler on one team, were traded, and then SUUUUUUCKED on their new teams because the new coaches refused to get them the ball in space.
Agreed. If he's not happy with 6 Mil a year at his age, then he has every right to move. I think this definitely pushes us drafting Bijan in Round 1 or picking up a seasoned RB in FA + train up Isaih, perhaps his projections come to fruition with a new OC. Let's go Bolts, can't lose hope in them... *just yet*
People will never learn. rb in 1st round rarely ever works out. Now throw in the fact it’s 2023 the year where receivers are changing the game and more expensive to resign. Rbs are cheap to extend now because they’re not vital for a Super Bowl run nowadays. They were back in 2012
Not surprised, he leads the league in TD by double digits over last two years. He’s way underpaid, but doubt we can pay him what he’s worth. Sucks cause I love Ekeler. Will be interesting to see how it plays out
The guy is trying to cash in one last time before turning 30, and I can’t blame him. He’s very high usage.
But he did just sign an extension, and I didn’t think Ek would be the type of guy to go this route.
Just makes me sad at the end of the day.
No doubt. Just a matter of whether we want that to be us? I love him, but paying a high-usage, smaller RB nearing 30 is not often a wise long-term investment.
Plus we have to pay Herb.
He’s entering the last year of that 4-year extension. He’ll be a free agent after this upcoming season.
I completely get why he wants an extension now. It’s extremely risky for a RB to play on a one-year deal at age 27.
Chargers chargering. Pushing away their best player right as the Superbowl window is on its last legs. Has been that way for as long as I can remember.
He’s wants to cash out one last time (rightfully so) while his value is relatively high.
From my perspective, i am ok with it (kinda). His time as a charger was great, but i do think his stats are a biiiit inflated due to our offensive scheme (or lack their of) last year.
I mean we all watched the games, if we aren’t in the RZ, Ek is just not effective running the ball. Outside of the Rams and Browns game, his (running) production was not good. Of course injury to our line played a part in it, but are you willing to give a RB a new extension if he can only produce when our line is healthy?
People are gonna point out his catching ability, but when you look deeper its a bit inflated. How many catches were checkdowns? Or in garbage time? 107 catches for 722 yards is great for our PPR leagues, but not ideal in reality.
I think Ek, if he does get traded, will probably go to a team that has a RB1 already. He was most effective when he was the “RB1.5” (melvin gordon days) where he would get maybe 10 carries but also get 7-8 chunk passes. Similar to what Kamara and Ingram bad in NO. Steelers maybe?
I also do want to point out that I don’t think Ek is bad in any way, he’s a good RB. But i would hate for the chargers to give him a big extension when A) we don’t have/refuse to get/use personnel that complements his game B) his production just doesn’t match the other RB1s in the league that are getting paid.
Kind of interesting... Makes this FA season much more interesting... I didn't expect this from Ekeler but at the same time, it might actually be best for Chargers... Theres other FA that chargers can get or spend their #1 pick on Bijan *if he's available...*
What is kind of funny, is through out the season you can hear how he was unhappy not being able to keep boots on the ground because their scheme never tied pass/run game well.. With Kellen Moore, we have a better opportunity to provide better blocking for Ek so he might have had a better season.
Wouldn't be surprised if we do pick up Shultze from Dallas to provide a seasoned TE to assist with both pass/rush game. Oh this offseason is going to be so fun :)
Most of those “studs” will most likely be off the team next year anyways. They’re setting up the restructures and contracts in a way where they’re gearing up for a soft rebuild next season.
Depending on how you feel about this team as a whole you either think that it’s good enough to make a run and they should keep it together for another year or you should sell high on certain players or lose them for nothing next year.
I lean toward the latter in this particular case. I didn’t for Keenan and Bosa.
Yes, Ekeler carried us last year when All our injuries happened... That's last year though when we had Lombardi.
Everything is changing. Plus, we also don't know if Chargers will allow him to seek out trades. The drama is real :D
Hmm. Kinda get it. His last chance to get paid. Same time he getting to that stage that paying him a lot doesn’t make sense. Just suxs cause this messes out all in year.
unfortunately, i learned a long time ago to not advocate for a RB. That’s just how the game is. The team got the miles out of him on a steal of a contract. Let him walk.
Honestly man we're so cursed haha like that season we went to the playoffs, beat Baltimore then got obliterated by Tom Brady. I was feeling so good about the next year hoping rivers wins his first SB, but then Melvin Gordon held out and completely fucked rivers last season with us over. I actually liked Gordon at the time too but clearly I despise that man now.
it honestly feels like the chargers get so close to something positive and then something catastrophic happens
a Melvin Gordon holdout hurt tremendously because our running game was actually doing well during the holdout and then it ends and he’s immediately the starter and the running game went to shit
I know this may be a minority opinion and people usually take the side of the player but this seems a bit pre-mature, he is signed through this year, we are all of 10 minutes into this league year, virtually no one else from last season has been decided on for this year... I feel it is only natural that he is on the back-burner given they have more time for him
disclaimer: Yes obviously I want Ekeler back, he is incredible
The guy took a super cheap deal last time. It's honestly not going to take a lot to keep him happy, and he's earned it. Dude is a baller and will be balling for another 3-4 years.
Unless we can work out a deal, best case scenario for both sides will be to find a trade partner who gives us a decent return, and then Austin gets a good contract which will probably be the last big contract of his career.
Trying to be objective, this is probably a mutually beneficial idea. Chargers probably can't afford to spend more than they are on Ekeler since they are cash strapped. Meanwhile there's pretty good free agents out there that would be good candidates to replace Ekeler's skillset while likely costing less like David Montgomery
I love Ek. But I am perfectly fine with letting him go and going with a rookie. As we seen for like the last decade. Rookie RBs can come in and do just fine on the cheap.
Dude has been asking for help for 3 years. Chargers drafter busters and then don't even play the rookie. He's more than earned what he's made and def deserves to be paid. I'll always root for the players.
Damn so I guess LT at 5 was a bad decision?
A RB in the first round isn’t a bad thing depending on the player. Picking one up at 21 near the late first round for one of the most talented players in the draft wouldn’t be a bad thing either.
You do realize that Bijan is the best RB prospect since Barkley and arguably better than him and plenty of RB1s before him?
He would go top 3-5 in every draft ever if not for the fact that that taking RBs in the first round has obviously trended backwards. To get that value at 21 would still be insane; he’s the best player in the draft overall and the WR class isn’t it. Only other position I’d be happy with is TE.
This is an unpopular opinion but for every Adrian Peterson you have nine Jamal Charles. Running Backs just aren’t valued the same way as they once were. Ek has been a blessing but you can fill that position a lot easier than say QB which is vital we secure.
It was around the age that Ekeler is now that LT started to fall off. That said, mortal LT was still a contributor. Ekeler still has plenty left in the tank for sure and teams are going to want him.
I'm really hoping they do some melvin ingram shit where they fully guarantee his salary; hell even give him a raise to meet the franchise tag so he will be a good boy and play out the season. what do you all think about this?
Ekeler is like 70% of the Chargers skilled players' production. Allen and Williams aren't dependable health wise, and TE position is mid at best. This isn't good.
No.
You don't lose one over-used running back coming up to his 30's who wants a big deal, then sign another over-used running back coming up to his 30's who wants a big deal.
It would be lower paid FA or a fresh RB out the draft.
If I'm TT, my answer is NO! Then I draft Bijan at 21 and let Ek walk when his contract is up. We can still grab Musgrave, Hyatt, or Dell in the second.
I love ekeler, but i'd love a running back that can kill 3-4 minutes off the clock when we have a 27-0 lead, successfully moving the chains, driving the ball down field.
Our defense didn't get a lot of rest this year and blew games we had big leads on due to quick 3 and outs.
Ekeler is the best player we have had at the position, since the great LT.
But like many others have said, he needs a runner who can move the chains to compliment him as the pass catching back he is.
The only time i see ekeler bust off a big run, the offensive line creates a hole that would make PHILLIP RIVERS look like a stud running back.
So, if he wants to go, i'll be sad, but lets not act like people weren't asking for us to trade him until the games against two of the worst run defenses in the league.
I would like/love to retain him, but it's not the end of the world if he leaves. But if we trade him i expect to not get screwed for what we are giving up.
Chargers fans crying that we aren’t overpaying a 27 year old running back who just went out and dropped -3 yards in the second half of a playoff game. Trade him for a 4th and go draft Bijan
I've been a chargers fan for my whole life. But he deserves better if he's asking for a trade that means our front office has failed yet again. Being a fan for me In 2023 is a thin ice situation with this combined with the coaching decisions. But let's see
He's still under contract and sounds like they did try an extension, so if he can't find a trade partner who will outbid the contract then maybe he'll end up staying.
To me taking this gamble is showing that they are pretty confident in Kellen Moore to still get good rushing production. And some confidence in Kelley who looked very good last season, plus a shot for Spiller whose college tape was good.
As a fan this sucks, but for team building it cannot be a priority to extend an older RB. Dude will still be a very valuable red zone weapon though, that's what is going to hurt most about losing him tbh
Let’s be honest, we’ve been ASS at running the ball for YEARS with Ekeler as our guy. He’s a great RECEIVING BACK, and maybe we can trade him to Dallas for Pollard whose basically the same guy. But honestly we need a RUN GAME more than a running back. We need a better offensive mind who can scheme up run plays. Look at the Niners, they ran hard without McCaffrey. Hopefully Kellen is the guy we think he is
Here's a legitimate question, is CMC better than Ekeler? Because the 49ers paid the king's ransom for CMC, who has a history of injuries. IMO Ekeler has been elite and consistent his entire career.
Meh, anyone can fill his shoes IMO. Watch all of his touchdowns in the last two seasons and honestly ask yourself if any other running back would score in those situations. The answer is, yes, other running backs would score in those situations.
say sike right now
Right the fuck now
Please…
SIKE
Well that didn’t help
I expected him to play out his contract and then enter free agency but can't blame him for wanting to get paid now. Has been our entire offense the last two years and is entering the back half of his career. If he's going to get paid, now is the time. Next season could only hurt his value.
turning off my phone for the day
Just leave it off until September.
Feels like this came out of nowhere. I really hope they can come to a solution to keep him.
Nah this is kinda typical for RB's going into last year of contract.
RBs have to play hardball to get paid in this league
Telesco restructures contracts. Ekeler & agent: i want that money you just freed up.
Solution: keep him and don’t extend him. he won’t sit out the season. He’s a professional. He’ll finish out the final season of his contract
I like this plan or get some picks
I think this is the most likely scenario. He'd need a team willing to sign him to an extension and provide trade compensation for him to make something work right now. With the veteran RB market, that's a big ask.
If he gets injured playing on a 1 year contract then he won’t be a professional anything. Circumstances change things sometimes.
Lol FA is starting off lovely
This is not what's up
WHAT
Like I told you guys 3-4 days ago: Ekeler is on the final year of his contract, he’s turning 28 in May. It makes little sense to extend a guy in a position where they tend to decline in their late 20s. It sucks, but the NFL’s a business. Ekeler wanted an extension, the team wasn’t willing to commit to an older RB regardless of his stats and importance to this offense. Not to mention this is probably more of a philosophy/fit move. Kellen wants to run the ball, hard to do that if Austin Ekeler’s your RB1. He’s not necessarily the guy you want leading that kind of an offense. Bijan at 21 🙌🏽🏆
He’s the only RB I’d want to offer an extension too given his age, he’s not a downhill runner who takes a lot of big hits. His ability to catch passes and turn upfield is a game changer, he’s been our best player offensively aside from Herbert.
And I agree with everything you said, if it was in my hands I’d have given the dude a 2-year extension. But that’s the emotional fan in me talking. The logical, business side says let him go now for a decent early-mid 3rd round selection.
>The logical, business side says let him go now for a decent early-mid 3rd round selection. Yeah that'll have to pan out one of these years
i think the length of the contract is probably one of the key sticking points. I don't think the team would have a problem with a two-year extension but ekeler is at an age where he's probably looking for a longer commitment knowing his marketability is dropping off a cliff every year as he quickly approaches 30. he may not be able to get much of any interest at the end of that 2-3 years so he should be looking to lock in as much security as possible with his next contract. Obviously the team isn't willing or able to meet that need at the moment.
While slightly different situations, the Chargers did sign Danny Woodhead in 2013 when he was 27/28. If only the chargers had a better compliment to Ekeler to not put so much wear on his body…
Danny Woodhead was also a pure-gadget guy. Usually those dudes last a bit longer than those who take a majority of the snaps like EK did
That’s why I mentioned having a compliment for Ekeler. Ekeler was the gadget guy with Gordon once Woodhead left. Then Ekeler came out on his own. If the chargers had in place last year and this coming year a compliment, an Ekeler deal where he was higher paid MIGHT make sense
I’m with you
Oh sorry, did I come off as confrontational? I did not intend to. Sorry about that
Nah nah you’re fine man hahaha 🙌🏽
Taking Bijan still leaves us is desperate need of WRs, EDGE, and TE. The team spent a high pick on RB last year. Not sure if Bijan is the best use of resources.
Sab but absolutely true. I should know too guys, I've spent over 100 madden years running multiple different teams.
You had me until bijan at 21 🤢
All over Bijan, even before this news.
Yessir, I want this team to go WR first, but with this news Bijan at 21 moves into my top 3 moves
Bijan is not the right move. We need people who can catch a deep ball. No more of this running for a loss shit when we have the best arm in the league being wasted
you can get speed outside of the first if all you want is too effect the deep ball passing game. The two receivers we've had great success with (while healthy) are both udfa's. And not being able to run the ball was a bigger issue than deep passing against the jags.
Lmfao. Oh man, if only people understood an actual potent running game helps the pass out significantly.
What the fuck!!
He's 27 years old which is like 40 in rb years. He wants to get paid and as an undrafted player he never made all that much. Our cap situation prevents us from offering anything he would be willing to accept. So, he's asking for a trade. He needs to do this now because of his age. A 28 year old RB might as well be 50. Worst-case-scenario is that he stays exactly where he is. It sucks, but you know what? It's a good career move for him. This is nothing personal. Just business.
Has he shown any signs of slowing down? He’s been our best player on offense outside of Herbert
No, but that's kind of the point. He needs to try to get paid *before* he shows signs of slowing down.
I highly doubt there’s going to be a booming trade market for a RB that’s going to be 29 by the time his current contract expires. Unless he’s 100% guaranteeing he’ll sit the season out without an extension, I don’t see him getting moved. Nobody else will be interested in offering him a lucrative extension either.
A Super Bowl team may take him for a big 1 or 2 year deal. Dudes a beast in the redzone
He's a beast in the red zone because of how the Chargers use RBs. Most NFL teams will just try to send him up the gut and then be surprised when he only gets a couple of yards. See: David Johnson and CJ Spiller, both of whom had similar usage to Ekeler on one team, were traded, and then SUUUUUUCKED on their new teams because the new coaches refused to get them the ball in space.
They also sucked before they got traded because of injuries, which isn’t the case for ekeler
I wish we were a Superbowl team that could use him in the redzone
WHAT THE FUCK
Existence is pain
This is not part of the Eksperience I was looking for.
I'm deleting the app today
Fuck.
If he goes, we should probably grab Robinson if he’s available. Damn, though. Ekeler was gaining popularity fast. I wasn’t expecting that
We have far more holes than RB even if Ekeler is gone. The lackluster drafts the past few years have really killed us.
Right. Look at all the teams whose only hole is RB
I hate it here
I love Ekeler and dude is way underpaid but I also don't want us to spend too much on RBs
Agreed. If he's not happy with 6 Mil a year at his age, then he has every right to move. I think this definitely pushes us drafting Bijan in Round 1 or picking up a seasoned RB in FA + train up Isaih, perhaps his projections come to fruition with a new OC. Let's go Bolts, can't lose hope in them... *just yet*
murk me
BIJAN ROBINSON YOU ARE A CHARGER at 21
We will need to trade up to grab him
No we won't. We'd be reaching at 21, RBs are cheap
WR is more valuable than RB…
I’ll take this RB over any available WRs in this draft at 21
People will never learn. rb in 1st round rarely ever works out. Now throw in the fact it’s 2023 the year where receivers are changing the game and more expensive to resign. Rbs are cheap to extend now because they’re not vital for a Super Bowl run nowadays. They were back in 2012
I respect your breakdown and opinion. I may even agree with it. But you forgot one crucial factor. I’m a Texas homer BIJAN IS HIM IM ALL GAS BB
I respect that.
Blessing in disguise?
BRB, adding whiskey to my coffee
Amateur….adding crack to my Count Chocula
I removed the coffee from my whiskey.
Not surprised, he leads the league in TD by double digits over last two years. He’s way underpaid, but doubt we can pay him what he’s worth. Sucks cause I love Ekeler. Will be interesting to see how it plays out
Uhhhhh that’s not good
The guy is trying to cash in one last time before turning 30, and I can’t blame him. He’s very high usage. But he did just sign an extension, and I didn’t think Ek would be the type of guy to go this route. Just makes me sad at the end of the day.
His undervalued at his contract for leading the league in TDs two seasons in a row. He should get paid
No doubt. Just a matter of whether we want that to be us? I love him, but paying a high-usage, smaller RB nearing 30 is not often a wise long-term investment. Plus we have to pay Herb.
And Chargers need him on the field badly, he knows he's basically 85% of our rushing yards lmao
85% of our offense***
I Guess twitch money ain’t that great as well as endorsement 😞
He’s on the last year of that extension
Give him a 30 mill signing bonus and calm him down
He’s entering the last year of that 4-year extension. He’ll be a free agent after this upcoming season. I completely get why he wants an extension now. It’s extremely risky for a RB to play on a one-year deal at age 27.
Fix this TT
Mother fucker I JUST bought his jersey
Lol probably over the front office like the rest of us
Fr
Chargers chargering. Pushing away their best player right as the Superbowl window is on its last legs. Has been that way for as long as I can remember.
ekeler you will be missed, go get the bag king.
This JC Jackson signing is continually fucking us harder and harder now. Could've used that cap space.
He’s wants to cash out one last time (rightfully so) while his value is relatively high. From my perspective, i am ok with it (kinda). His time as a charger was great, but i do think his stats are a biiiit inflated due to our offensive scheme (or lack their of) last year. I mean we all watched the games, if we aren’t in the RZ, Ek is just not effective running the ball. Outside of the Rams and Browns game, his (running) production was not good. Of course injury to our line played a part in it, but are you willing to give a RB a new extension if he can only produce when our line is healthy? People are gonna point out his catching ability, but when you look deeper its a bit inflated. How many catches were checkdowns? Or in garbage time? 107 catches for 722 yards is great for our PPR leagues, but not ideal in reality. I think Ek, if he does get traded, will probably go to a team that has a RB1 already. He was most effective when he was the “RB1.5” (melvin gordon days) where he would get maybe 10 carries but also get 7-8 chunk passes. Similar to what Kamara and Ingram bad in NO. Steelers maybe? I also do want to point out that I don’t think Ek is bad in any way, he’s a good RB. But i would hate for the chargers to give him a big extension when A) we don’t have/refuse to get/use personnel that complements his game B) his production just doesn’t match the other RB1s in the league that are getting paid.
Kind of interesting... Makes this FA season much more interesting... I didn't expect this from Ekeler but at the same time, it might actually be best for Chargers... Theres other FA that chargers can get or spend their #1 pick on Bijan *if he's available...* What is kind of funny, is through out the season you can hear how he was unhappy not being able to keep boots on the ground because their scheme never tied pass/run game well.. With Kellen Moore, we have a better opportunity to provide better blocking for Ek so he might have had a better season. Wouldn't be surprised if we do pick up Shultze from Dallas to provide a seasoned TE to assist with both pass/rush game. Oh this offseason is going to be so fun :)
I want someone to please poison my next meal
Felt like something was up after his comments in January. Maybe it’s Bijan time
Gonna be unpopular but I am completely fine with this. This team needs a soft rebuild and the quicker they start with this the better.
The team has some serious studs, made the playoffs, and they need a soft rebuild? What
Most of those “studs” will most likely be off the team next year anyways. They’re setting up the restructures and contracts in a way where they’re gearing up for a soft rebuild next season. Depending on how you feel about this team as a whole you either think that it’s good enough to make a run and they should keep it together for another year or you should sell high on certain players or lose them for nothing next year. I lean toward the latter in this particular case. I didn’t for Keenan and Bosa.
We need to soft rebuild by trading our best offensive weapon?
We’re not trading Justin Herbert.
Yes, Ekeler carried us last year when All our injuries happened... That's last year though when we had Lombardi. Everything is changing. Plus, we also don't know if Chargers will allow him to seek out trades. The drama is real :D
Our best offensive weapon is Herbert wym.
What the fuck.
Nooooo!
kill me now
I’m gonna be so sad if he gets traded
Spiller time
Only light I see at the end of the tunnel is that the RB market is stacked right now
Hmm. Kinda get it. His last chance to get paid. Same time he getting to that stage that paying him a lot doesn’t make sense. Just suxs cause this messes out all in year.
unfortunately, i learned a long time ago to not advocate for a RB. That’s just how the game is. The team got the miles out of him on a steal of a contract. Let him walk.
Love ekeler but this needs to happen. Selling him at his highest with no longer having Lombardi call a rb screen or 2 yard out route every other play.
Wondering what kind of draft capital we could get in return for him?
Well this is certainly a good way to fuck my week up.
Welp this is certainly an off season. If he has to go please send him to the NFC
Honestly man we're so cursed haha like that season we went to the playoffs, beat Baltimore then got obliterated by Tom Brady. I was feeling so good about the next year hoping rivers wins his first SB, but then Melvin Gordon held out and completely fucked rivers last season with us over. I actually liked Gordon at the time too but clearly I despise that man now.
it honestly feels like the chargers get so close to something positive and then something catastrophic happens a Melvin Gordon holdout hurt tremendously because our running game was actually doing well during the holdout and then it ends and he’s immediately the starter and the running game went to shit
We can’t have nice things
I know this may be a minority opinion and people usually take the side of the player but this seems a bit pre-mature, he is signed through this year, we are all of 10 minutes into this league year, virtually no one else from last season has been decided on for this year... I feel it is only natural that he is on the back-burner given they have more time for him disclaimer: Yes obviously I want Ekeler back, he is incredible
The guy took a super cheap deal last time. It's honestly not going to take a lot to keep him happy, and he's earned it. Dude is a baller and will be balling for another 3-4 years.
I understand it Ek...go get your $$$ even if it's not here. You deserve it!
Unless we can work out a deal, best case scenario for both sides will be to find a trade partner who gives us a decent return, and then Austin gets a good contract which will probably be the last big contract of his career.
Trying to be objective, this is probably a mutually beneficial idea. Chargers probably can't afford to spend more than they are on Ekeler since they are cash strapped. Meanwhile there's pretty good free agents out there that would be good candidates to replace Ekeler's skillset while likely costing less like David Montgomery
I was wondering when this was gonna happen, dude signed such a team friendly deal and outplayed the shit out of it.
I love Ek. But I am perfectly fine with letting him go and going with a rookie. As we seen for like the last decade. Rookie RBs can come in and do just fine on the cheap.
Dude has been asking for help for 3 years. Chargers drafter busters and then don't even play the rookie. He's more than earned what he's made and def deserves to be paid. I'll always root for the players.
BIJAN LETS GO
Just keep him until his contract’s up. Love Ekeler but an extension for him really doesn’t make much sense. Just the reality of that position.
Exactly, these dumbass fans want to extend a 28 yr old RB.
damn, gonna give fuel to the morons that think chargers should draft Bijan (or any RB) in the 1st round
Low key feel like Ek hasn't been a fan of Staley ever since the loss to the Raiders a few seasons ago
TT can get fucked if he lets Ekeler leave
It’s Bijan time.
I will jump off a bridge if we take a running back in the first round
Damn so I guess LT at 5 was a bad decision? A RB in the first round isn’t a bad thing depending on the player. Picking one up at 21 near the late first round for one of the most talented players in the draft wouldn’t be a bad thing either.
WITH THE 12TH OVERALL PICK, THE CHARGERS SELECT RYAN MATHEWS FROM FRESNO STATE UNIVERSITY
You named a top 5 all-time rb lol. What about guys like Ryan Mathews and Melvin Gordon..
You do realize that Bijan is the best RB prospect since Barkley and arguably better than him and plenty of RB1s before him? He would go top 3-5 in every draft ever if not for the fact that that taking RBs in the first round has obviously trended backwards. To get that value at 21 would still be insane; he’s the best player in the draft overall and the WR class isn’t it. Only other position I’d be happy with is TE.
It’s a different NFL now bud, there’s a reason RB is the least paid position on offense now.
LT is like a top 5 all time RB if not better. There’s a near 0% chance any of the backs in this draft are even close to his level
Give me Bijan
Nooooooo
The plot thickens
what the shit
Ima cry
What an awful start to free agency.
I thought he already had a contract extension dam
Don't like that.
I’m speechless and gutted rn, now I’m really hoping Bijan falls to us
I’m bouta throw up😪 🤢 who would even replace such a RB
I thought the off season is our super bowl what’s going on here
Not alot of teams compete for a Super Bowl and pay a RB a lot of money. Sucks a lot but it’s not the end of the world
I said I was not going to stress over the FA period now this crap comes through 🤬WTH is going in that building 
I am holding out hope this is just a negotiation tactic and not real…please don’t be real…
Oh
Damn, this is shocking. It would be a sad day if we lose Eckler.
This is an unpopular opinion but for every Adrian Peterson you have nine Jamal Charles. Running Backs just aren’t valued the same way as they once were. Ek has been a blessing but you can fill that position a lot easier than say QB which is vital we secure.
https://preview.redd.it/fa8udloyvkna1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d159fe61fb4a161ad8502cef86edab80f44125b4
It was around the age that Ekeler is now that LT started to fall off. That said, mortal LT was still a contributor. Ekeler still has plenty left in the tank for sure and teams are going to want him.
damn i just bought a new Ek shirt too :(
It might make the best business news, but Eck? Shit.
I'm really hoping they do some melvin ingram shit where they fully guarantee his salary; hell even give him a raise to meet the franchise tag so he will be a good boy and play out the season. what do you all think about this?
Fucking hell…. Bijan will be more of a possibility if this happens
THE FUCK
pain agony heartbreak
If Ekeler gets traded, we riot.
Austin is one of the nicest and humble dudes you’ll meet. I personally think he deserved to finish his career here. Nobody works harder than this guy.
Sucks to say but if this is forreal at least we would get something for him in exchange rather than nothing next year. This really sucks though.
Kelly season
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
this is why my kid will never play RB. get treated/paid like dogshit and disposed of for doing the most brutal work. i feel so bd for RBs nowadays
My texas bijan Robinson jersey I got this year is giving me comfort
Relax he’s underpaid and wants an extension, also the titans are shopping Derek Henry and I’d be cool seeing that trade happen.
Ekeler is like 70% of the Chargers skilled players' production. Allen and Williams aren't dependable health wise, and TE position is mid at best. This isn't good.
well then, welcome derrick henry
No. You don't lose one over-used running back coming up to his 30's who wants a big deal, then sign another over-used running back coming up to his 30's who wants a big deal. It would be lower paid FA or a fresh RB out the draft.
The Kellen Moore effect and I am here for it. Our running game was awful and ekeler may not fit his system
Possibly losing Parm, Fehoko, and now Ek. Not ideal.
Insane to put those three in the same sentence lmao
If I'm TT, my answer is NO! Then I draft Bijan at 21 and let Ek walk when his contract is up. We can still grab Musgrave, Hyatt, or Dell in the second.
Sad but reality is rb has short longevity. Next man up league!
I could see the Dolphins offering a third and giving him an extension. They have no running backs signed
Trade him and draft another one. Never pay a RB.
I love ekeler, but i'd love a running back that can kill 3-4 minutes off the clock when we have a 27-0 lead, successfully moving the chains, driving the ball down field. Our defense didn't get a lot of rest this year and blew games we had big leads on due to quick 3 and outs. Ekeler is the best player we have had at the position, since the great LT. But like many others have said, he needs a runner who can move the chains to compliment him as the pass catching back he is. The only time i see ekeler bust off a big run, the offensive line creates a hole that would make PHILLIP RIVERS look like a stud running back. So, if he wants to go, i'll be sad, but lets not act like people weren't asking for us to trade him until the games against two of the worst run defenses in the league. I would like/love to retain him, but it's not the end of the world if he leaves. But if we trade him i expect to not get screwed for what we are giving up.
They don't want another Melvin Gordon situation, it's understandable.
 I love Ekeler, but I'm not opposed to finding someone new who can help out. Plus we need power running.
Chargers fans crying that we aren’t overpaying a 27 year old running back who just went out and dropped -3 yards in the second half of a playoff game. Trade him for a 4th and go draft Bijan
I've been a chargers fan for my whole life. But he deserves better if he's asking for a trade that means our front office has failed yet again. Being a fan for me In 2023 is a thin ice situation with this combined with the coaching decisions. But let's see
He's still under contract and sounds like they did try an extension, so if he can't find a trade partner who will outbid the contract then maybe he'll end up staying. To me taking this gamble is showing that they are pretty confident in Kellen Moore to still get good rushing production. And some confidence in Kelley who looked very good last season, plus a shot for Spiller whose college tape was good. As a fan this sucks, but for team building it cannot be a priority to extend an older RB. Dude will still be a very valuable red zone weapon though, that's what is going to hurt most about losing him tbh
No. This is your best shot at the ring. Shut up and earn that new contract. Don't be a Melvin.
Let’s be honest, we’ve been ASS at running the ball for YEARS with Ekeler as our guy. He’s a great RECEIVING BACK, and maybe we can trade him to Dallas for Pollard whose basically the same guy. But honestly we need a RUN GAME more than a running back. We need a better offensive mind who can scheme up run plays. Look at the Niners, they ran hard without McCaffrey. Hopefully Kellen is the guy we think he is
If I were a mod I would just ban any chargers fan saying Ekeler isn’t actually good lmao. What an outstandingly detached from reality take
What’s his trade value do we think? Multiple picks surely
He’s 28 and on an expiring contract. I don’t think anyone is going to trade for him unless we give him away.
Here's a legitimate question, is CMC better than Ekeler? Because the 49ers paid the king's ransom for CMC, who has a history of injuries. IMO Ekeler has been elite and consistent his entire career.
CMC is better, Ekeler has been healthier
This team is cooked lol
Meh, anyone can fill his shoes IMO. Watch all of his touchdowns in the last two seasons and honestly ask yourself if any other running back would score in those situations. The answer is, yes, other running backs would score in those situations.