The Los Angeles Chargers have officially put an end to one of the least talked-about off-season dramas.
Austin Ekeler won’t go anywhere after requesting a trade earlier in the offseason.
Instead, the Chargers have added up to $2 million in incentives this current deal, and he’ll test free agency at the end of the season, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Breaking: After an offseason in which he requested to be traded, RB Austin Ekeler is staying with the Chargers and having close to $2M in incentives added to his deal for this season, sources told @AdamSchefter.
Ekeler will be a free agent after this season. pic.twitter.com/ljPRNtF70N
— ESPN (@espn) May 23, 2023
Needless to say, this news was a big sign of relief for fantasy football managers all over the world, as Ekeler has been a fan favorite in that regard for years.
good his value for fantasy didn’t die. still a top 3 pick legs go
— 🍕 (@Letsgo7113) May 23, 2023
makes sense for both parties
— Flip Martorano (@flipmartorano) May 23, 2023
This is good news for my fantasy team
— CeDe Rexha (@crashdoyen) May 23, 2023
Better than Chubb.
— Aubrey Graham Cracker 🤟 (@TheAGC007) May 23, 2023
Chargers caved and just gave him $2 mill more so he can leave next year lol. This organization is a joke
— burga (@EricMeetsTwttur) May 23, 2023
Ekeler is one of the best pass-catching backs and most proficient producers in one of the league’s most explosive offenses, and the kind of playmaker they couldn’t afford to lose.
The Chargers are knocking on the door of contention, but they haven’t been able to take that leap forward and elevate from that mid-tier in the AFC.
They have everything in their power to go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cincinnati Bengals, and some argue it has everything to do with coaching and decision-making.
Whatever the case, the Chargers could be entering Super Bowl-or-bust mode now with Justin Herbert set to get a massive payday, so it only made sense for them to hold on to their star running back.
Ekeler wasn’t going to partake in the team’s OTAs as he waited to be traded, and this was a somewhat shocking turn of events this deep into the offseason.
NEXT: The Chargers Have Made A Contract Decision On Austin Ekeler
