When Austin Ekeler requested permission to seek a trade after negotiations for an extension with the Chargers did not progress, he was betting on himself and seeking to lock down a long-term deal with a new team.
However, in roughly three weeks since his announcement, Ekeler has yet to land a trade partner. While Ekeler—who turns 28 in May—does not hate the franchise, his focus remains on securing a new deal based on his current value in the league.
But if Ekeler does not find the perfect match for his desired contract, returning to Los Angeles for one more year would be his last resort.
“Time will play out. Who knows? We'll see what happens with the draft,” Ekeler said Tuesday during an appearance on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. “But it’s a situation where, look, if a team wants me in the long term, it’s a year where they’re gonna have to give up picks and then also have to renegotiate, so that’s kind of playing against us for sure. But we’ll see, like I said. Time will tell, and we’ll see what happens after the draft.
“Look, I guess the worst-case scenario right now out of all of it, I’ll come back and I’ll have to play for the Chargers for a year and bet on myself and then be a free agent next year.”
In the 2022 season, Ekeler rushed for 915 yards and recorded 722 receiving yards and 18 total touchdowns. He has played for Los Angeles since ’17 when the Chargers signed him as an undrafted free agent.
