Wantaway running back Austin Ekeler is set to remain with the Los Angeles Chargers after demanding that the team trade him earlier in the offseason.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Ekeler will stay put for at least one more season as he’s seen his contract reworked, with the Chargers adding incentives totaling up to $1.75 million.
The 28-year-old will be a free agent next year and could seek a better deal elsewhere if he’s still keen on it then.
Ekeler had guaranteed he would be traded ahead of the 2023/24 campaign yet is now poised to play another season with the team after head coach Brandon Staley said he expected the player to be a part of the Chargers’ mandatory minicamp, which starts on June 13.
The former Western Colorado star has been the best RB in the NFL for the past two campaigns. He led the league in rushing and receiving touchdowns in 2022, with 18, and played a major role in L.A. making the playoffs for the first time in four years.
Ekeler was due to make $6.25 million this year, the last year of his deal with the team, and vented about being underpaid shortly after the end of the season. However, he did express a desire to remain with the Chargers as long as they could work out a satisfactory long-term deal.
