CHARGERS REWORK RB AUSTIN EKELER’S CONTRACT, GIVE HIM $1.75 MILLION RAISE
The Los Angeles Chargers have reworked star running back Austin Ekeler’s contract, giving him a $1.75 million raise, in order to retain him for the 2023 season.
After an offseason in which he requested a trade several months ago, Ekeler will now be staying in Los Angeles after numerous incentives were added to his original deal. The new raise, which is similar to the deal that the Tennessee Titans gave star running back Derrick Henry ahead of the 2022 season, does not constitute a new contract extension. This means Ekeler will still be a free agent after the 2023 season at age 28.
Ekeler was scheduled to earn $6.25 million in 2023, the fourth and final year of his $24.5 million deal. The Chargers fan favourite said he felt like he was “punched in the face” by the organization when they refused to enter into contract extension negotiations in March but will now be back and could earn up to $8 million in total salary this year.
As per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the new deal includes up to $1 million in incentives for total yards with tiers from 1,125 yards to 1,639. Ekeler could also earn $600,000 if he scores anywhere between 10 to 16 touchdowns and will earn a further $150,000 if he makes his first career Pro Bowl.
The former Western State Mountaineer registered a career-high 1,637 total scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022 so a similar season this year will see him earn an extra $1.75 million.
Ekeler has been absent at the Chargers’ facility this week as the team began voluntary organized team activities on Monday, but Chargers head coach Brandon Staley had insisted that he expected Ekeler to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp next month. Third-year head coach Staley now has assurances of the star running back’s presence at the team’s facilities on day one, beginning June 13th.
“The current state with Austin is that he’s one of the top backs in the league over the last two seasons,” Staley on Monday. “He’s been a captain for us. We really have the utmost respect for him and the situation has been respectful on both sides… My expectation is that he would be here [for mandatory minicamp].”
It’s unclear if Ekeler will now report to OTAs this week but his absence wouldn’t be a surprise. Ekeler opted not to attend last offseason because of other business pursuits but was available in time for minicamp last year.
One of the best and most versatile running backs in the NFL, Ekeler led the Chargers in rushing with 915 yards and caught a career high 107 passes for 702 yards, the most receiving yards by a running back in the league last year. The 2017 undrafted rookie free agent’s 107 catches last year were also the most catches by a running back in a single season in franchise history.
“We stand behind him and he’s one of those guys that we support no matter what,” said quarterback Justin Herbert last month regarding Ekeler’s trade request. “He’s a guy that shows up and he plays hard and he works about as hard as anyone on and off the field.”
Ekeler has amassed 63 total touchdowns across his six years in the league, joining former Baltimore Colt and Hall of Fame halfback Lenny Moore as the only players in NFL history to record at least 25 rushing touchdowns and 25 receiving touchdowns in their first six seasons.
The Chargers will be glad to have one of the NFL’s top scoring players back within their ranks this year as they attempt to build a competent running back rotation in 2023. The team returned fourth-year running back Joshua Kelley, who rushed for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns last year and will hope 2022 fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller has a leap in his second year after rushing for only 41 yards last year.
With Ekeler’s contract situation temporarily taken care of, attention for the Los Angeles Chargers will now shift to tying down star quarterback Justin Herbert, who is entering a contract year in 2023. The Chargers exercised Herbert’s fifth-year option, worth $29.504 million, late last month and are keen on reaching a deal with the 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
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