Ekeler: Negotiated Incentives for 2023 Contract Year

[Budsman]

Lol...dude...without the players, there are no fans...cuz there is nothing to watch...

Love Slayer, but he did jack squat last year, while Ekelor had the yards and TDs...and yet made a third of his salary. Analogy is solid.

Finally, we are talking compensation relative to the people he is in the profession of football with...thats why I said he doesnt compare to you or other fans...has nothing to do with anybody being worth more as a human being, or whatever the hell your rambling about...it is RELATIVE...if your a doctor who performs the most surgeries, a plumber who sets the most fixtures, a fry cook who fills the most orders...but make less than the others in your profession, the amount matters nothing in itself, but rather how that amount compares to your colleagues...its about fairness. In pro football, it happens to be about millions. RBs get screwed, the best years of their shorter careers are spent during salary controlled rookie contracts, but when a guy tries to advocate for himself, knowing he is soon gonna be cast aside in the next few years, and simply wants to make bones while he can, he gets labeled a villian or malcontent.

Hate on the guy if you want...Im done arguing.

Dude, without the fans there are no players because there is no money.

Slater was injured, that’s an asinine argument. Do we need to explain why LTs are more valuable than RBs? I think you know let’s not act silly here.

I see you’re moving the goalposts but that’s fine I’ll play your game. If a GP sets more broken bones than another GP but does it at a place that doesn’t win any awards and does it in a setting where they are given more volume to do it but they lack in other skills like say bedside manner. Does that automatically mean they deserve more?
Now let’s take your comparison of Slater and Ekeler, it’s like comparing a GP to a neurosurgeon. Sure that can be the best GP and then can do whatever thing you want to insert great, but they will never be worth what the neurosurgeon makes because the neurosurgeon does something more important.
Then if that GP says hey I want to make more money because neurosurgeons make more than me, and goes out and the market doesn’t meet his demands then maybe the GP is valued just where he should be.

I would hardly consider a RB to be screwed. Sure they don’t make the millions that a QB makes, but they do well enough for themselves, some even make 24+million dollars. Poor RBs getting screwed…”fairness” aww I’m sorry did the millionaire running back want me to be concerned about his fairness. Sorry I guess I was busy worrying about things that matter.

Ekeler isn’t some UDFA on a minimum contract. The guy agreed to take 24 million with 15 MILLION in guaranteed money 3 years ago before he was a star. That was ok for him then, now he has done well and he wants more money. Ok fine he can ask the team but when they don’t ok it, and he can clearly see the landscape that the market has created (not his team). What I take umbrage with is when he decides to not once but 3 times go spouting off about his woe is me I want more millions routine that I just don’t care and makes me question if he’s going to screw the team over in a critical year. Look if this were leaks from agents and teams etc and he was silent it would be 100% different, but HE is going on media talking about it, and when he does that he might catch some heat and rightfully so.

Oh I’ve only given my opinion on what he’s doing. You are free to take a ride on Ekelers athletic supporter, it’s a fan site and that’s well within your wheel house to do. Just like I don’t have to. Cheers!

[Budsman]

They don't generate the $$$, which is different than value. When your house is on fire the value of having a fire fighter is infinitely greater than the NFL.
The problem is fire fighters get paid by the pot that is available. The pot per person in the NFL is much, much greater than what is available for fire fighters.
Ditto for police and military.

Ekeler's guaranteed money has already been paid. He wants the next contract and the Chargers don't agree with what he wants. Perfectly fine and no
problem. If he holds out, then a problem. Until then rest easy.

Yeah, I mean obviously it’s a supply and demand situation for military and NFL players, less people can do what Ekeler does therefore he is paid 24 mil, that’s fair. But from a pure value perspective if the NFL went away tomorrow the world would be just fine, the other roles…. Not so much.

I appreciate your calm and hey that’s your right. Go on with your cool hand Luke style. I personally dislike what Ekeler is doing and am waving a red flag. Sure maybe I’m wrong he goes off and wins the MVP this year gets paid 20 mil a year and I eat crow oooooor, he gets more and more frustrated either holds out, contributes to a poor locker room, doesn’t give his all in an effort to preserve himself for his next perceived contract etc, and he ends up not being worth the problems, and you eat crow.

both of those things could happen, and you are entitled to your opinion on resting easy and that’s fine. I think he’s being an entitled diva and I'm worried for the team.

[Lefty2SLO]

Yeah, I mean obviously it’s a supply and demand situation for military and NFL players, less people can do what Ekeler does therefore he is paid 24 mil, that’s fair. But from a pure value perspective if the NFL went away tomorrow the world would be just fine, the other roles…. Not so much.

I appreciate your calm and hey that’s your right. Go on with your cool hand Luke style. I personally dislike what Ekeler is doing and am waving a red flag. Sure maybe I’m wrong he goes off and wins the MVP this year gets paid 20 mil a year and I eat crow oooooor, he gets more and more frustrated either holds out, contributes to a poor locker room, doesn’t give his all in an effort to preserve himself for his next perceived contract etc, and he ends up not being worth the problems, and you eat crow.

both of those things could happen, and you are entitled to your opinion on resting easy and that’s fine. I think he’s being an entitled diva and I'm worried for the team.

Yeah - you just can't have guys making 'business decisions' on your team. If those guys are also a team leaders it's 1,000 time worse and will eventually mess up the locker room. . . . .

[charger1_sj]

Yeah, I mean obviously it’s a supply and demand situation for military and NFL players, less people can do what Ekeler does therefore he is paid 24 mil, that’s fair. But from a pure value perspective if the NFL went away tomorrow the world would be just fine, the other roles…. Not so much.

I appreciate your calm and hey that’s your right. Go on with your cool hand Luke style. I personally dislike what Ekeler is doing and am waving a red flag. Sure maybe I’m wrong he goes off and wins the MVP this year gets paid 20 mil a year and I eat crow oooooor, he gets more and more frustrated either holds out, contributes to a poor locker room, doesn’t give his all in an effort to preserve himself for his next perceived contract etc, and he ends up not being worth the problems, and you eat crow.

both of those things could happen, and you are entitled to your opinion on resting easy and that’s fine. I think he’s being an entitled diva and I'm worried for the team.

You have a right to your opinion, you may turn out to be right. What I'm saying the reality right now is he ether finds another team or he plays one more year as
a Charger. That's where it currently stands. Now you know we've had this situation before, several times actually with very different results. It makes 0 sense
for a player to hold out, and yet they still do it. It also makes 0 sense for teams to refuse to sign a player and then Ftag for the next two years at premium
salaries. Yet both things have happened.

As for the locker room stuff, it's over rated. There are definitely some players that turn out to be trouble makers and distractions. But for the most part these
guys are professional. I don't expect any dramatics if he does play. Now if he holds out it's a different story.

[Budsman]

You have a right to your opinion, you may turn out to be right. What I'm saying the reality right now is he ether finds another team or he plays one more year as
a Charger. That's where it currently stands. Now you know we've had this situation before, several times actually with very different results. It makes 0 sense
for a player to hold out, and yet they still do it. It also makes 0 sense for teams to refuse to sign a player and then Ftag for the next two years at premium
salaries. Yet both things have happened.

As for the locker room stuff, it's over rated. There are definitely some players that turn out to be trouble makers and distractions. But for the most part these
guys are professional. I don't expect any dramatics if he does play. Now if he holds out it's a different story.

Yeah, I hope you’re right. I do think there is something more to a locker room morale and culture than you do but I agree that we don’t know what’s going to happen. Here’s hoping the chargers and Ekeler come to a happy conclusion, whether that’s a little more money to make him happy or a trade. Either way I’m just looking forward to this season and I hope we go into it with the players all pointing in the same direction.

[dmac_bolt]

A desperate team who has too many pics for their ability to pay them ?
Otherwise, wait one year and get him as a FA.

For their ability to pay them = their draft pics? If they can’t pay a mid-rd draft pick, they sure can’t pay Ekeler. Maybe I misunderstood.

[Boltjolt]

You have a right to your opinion, you may turn out to be right. What I'm saying the reality right now is he ether finds another team or he plays one more year as
a Charger. That's where it currently stands. Now you know we've had this situation before, several times actually with very different results. It makes 0 sense
for a player to hold out, and yet they still do it. It also makes 0 sense for teams to refuse to sign a player and then Ftag for the next two years at premium
salaries. Yet both things have happened.

As for the locker room stuff, it's over rated. There are definitely some players that turn out to be trouble makers and distractions. But for the most part these
guys are professional. I don't expect any dramatics if he does play. Now if he holds out it's a different story.

Agree, like I said, fans over react and it's more a distraction for fans than the players.
And that's my opinion.

[Lone Bolt]

Dude, without the fans there are no players because there is no money.

Slater was injured, that’s an asinine argument. Do we need to explain why LTs are more valuable than RBs? I think you know let’s not act silly here.

I see you’re moving the goalposts but that’s fine I’ll play your game. If a GP sets more broken bones than another GP but does it at a place that doesn’t win any awards and does it in a setting where they are given more volume to do it but they lack in other skills like say bedside manner. Does that automatically mean they deserve more?
Now let’s take your comparison of Slater and Ekeler, it’s like comparing a GP to a neurosurgeon. Sure that can be the best GP and then can do whatever thing you want to insert great, but they will never be worth what the neurosurgeon makes because the neurosurgeon does something more important.
Then if that GP says hey I want to make more money because neurosurgeons make more than me, and goes out and the market doesn’t meet his demands then maybe the GP is valued just where he should be.

I would hardly consider a RB to be screwed. Sure they don’t make the millions that a QB makes, but they do well enough for themselves, some even make 24+million dollars. Poor RBs getting screwed…”fairness” aww I’m sorry did the millionaire running back want me to be concerned about his fairness. Sorry I guess I was busy worrying about things that matter.

Ekeler isn’t some UDFA on a minimum contract. The guy agreed to take 24 million with 15 MILLION in guaranteed money 3 years ago before he was a star. That was ok for him then, now he has done well and he wants more money. Ok fine he can ask the team but when they don’t ok it, and he can clearly see the landscape that the market has created (not his team). What I take umbrage with is when he decides to not once but 3 times go spouting off about his woe is me I want more millions routine that I just don’t care and makes me question if he’s going to screw the team over in a critical year. Look if this were leaks from agents and teams etc and he was silent it would be 100% different, but HE is going on media talking about it, and when he does that he might catch some heat and rightfully so.

Oh I’ve only given my opinion on what he’s doing. You are free to take a ride on Ekelers athletic supporter, it’s a fan site and that’s well within your wheel house to do. Just like I don’t have to. Cheers!

I didnt move the goalpost...but maybe Im on the left hash, and your on the right, and seeing it differently.

Im not "riding his athletic supporter"...I would just as soon get younger at RB (Bijan?) and trade, or even cut him and get away from the 6.5 mil...and hope he finds a good situation for himself. Just because what he wants doesnt fit with our financial plans doesnt mean he doesnt have a valid arguement...and I support his right to advocate for himself and other RBS, and keeping meekly quiet doesnt move the needle, or change the status quo...he is bringing attention to this issue, as even the pundits are now discussing it.

Until he actively trashes the organization, or holds out, which does not honor his contract/commitment, he is doing nothing but speaking his mind...which, as I remember it, is still allowed in this country...so I ask again...what has he done wrong?

When he holds out, or escalates this to the ugly zone, THEN it will be a distraction to the team. THEN its a problem.

I guess this is where, were I you, I would post a silly meme/pic, announcing my victory in winning the arguement...but Im not trying to win...just trying to show a different perspective, and show he is not a villian here.

[richpjr]

Agree, like I said, fans over react and it's more a distraction for fans than the players.
And that's my opinion.

That is certainly the case here with just about every topic! But we are passionate about the team.

Having said that, this thread has devolved into some pretty weird stuff.

[Heatmiser]

Reminds me of Donnie Edwards last season with the Chargers. As he was signing autographs for fans during training camp he made sure to tell each of them he was underpaid and the Chargers needed to step up and reward him.

Ekeler is gone after this season, no matter what. Too bad. I really liked him but he does not understand the reality of his situation and instead is obsessed with the 'fairness' of it. Those are two very different things. And as my dear departed Father taught me, life is not fair.

TG

[Boltjolt]

That is certainly the case here with just about every topic! But we are passionate about the team.

Having said that, this thread has devolved into some pretty weird stuff.

Yeah, but the passion for the team turns into continuous hatred for a player because they are overreacting to something that is just business. The other players understand that and it isn't a distraction to them.

[QSmokey]

Reminds me of Donnie Edwards last season with the Chargers. As he was signing autographs for fans during training camp he made sure to tell each of them he was underpaid and the Chargers needed to step up and reward him.

Ekeler is gone after this season, no matter what. Too bad. I really liked him but he does not understand the reality of his situation and instead is obsessed with the 'fairness' of it. Those are two very different things. And as my dear departed Father taught me, life is not fair.

TG

Did Edwards really do that? Man, that's so weak.

As for Ekeler, yes, I believe this is his last season, as well. I also believe that he realizes that it's in his best interest to have a productive season; he's not going to help himself by holding out or going through the year half-assed.

Which probably means we need to draft his replacement THIS year. I think Kelley is a decent rotational guy but Spiller hasn't even been able to make it on the field. So there is a real need - this year and in the future.