Ekeler: Negotiated Incentives for 2023 Contract Year

[Bolt4Knob]

I don’t think chase is available anymore…but if your implying just straight cutting ekeler to clear his 6 mil of cap space? I’m not going to be onboard with that, that would be a huge no no for me…

Well it more earlier this week - I am just not going to cut Ekeler. But when he said he wanted a trade - I guess my value for him was different than others. I would have taken a 5th round pick on Monday or Tuesday - truly

I am not looking backward when thinking about Ekeler - I was looking forward in terms of roster construction and resource allocation.

[charger1_sj]

Considering Ek and Joshua Kelly both averaged around 4 yards per carry and Ek went off the deep end this year thinking he deserves millions more trying to force the issue I would be happy with a 5th round pick for him at this point and if we can't trade him just make him our 3rd down RB if he comes back to play out his contract. WE don't need our featured back to worry about 600 plus receiving yards off of screens. We need someone like Bijan to come in and establish the run game while allowing Herbert to do his thing with our talented WR's and good TE play.

So you think the dump offs to Ekeler were the designed plays? So it's one of two things,

A) Ekeler designed and called the plays OR
B) Herbert used Ekeler on passing plays as a safety valve when he couldn't find anybody open while and/or under extreme pressure.

If B our passing game will not improve unless we protect Herbert better or give him better receiving options.
If you watched the games you would know Chargers RBs got hit behind the LOS or ran into a brick wall on running downs. That not
a function of the RBs. FYI Ekeler averaged 4.5ypc, Kelly 4.2. Then it fell off a cliff. The failed run game was not on Ekeler. In fact
we've had trouble running the football long before Ekeler. If we want a guy to gain the tough yards then blame TT for not finding a
decent guy that can spell Ekeler. The vast majority of NFL teams do not rely on a bell cow RB. They carry two guys that can get
the job done. The two usually have different skill sets. Who is our RB that can gain 3 yards on 3rd and 2? No one.

If A, then get rid of Ekeler.

So in my opinion the Chargers passing offense will improve if we are not hit with all the injuries to our receivers and O line, whether Ekeler is
on the team or not. Our running game will not improve whether Ekeler is on the team or not IF we do not change our blocking scheme or
improve the run blocking.

Ekeler wanting an extension doesn't mean he's gone over the deep end. It's quite common for a player with one year left on his contract
to seek an extension. In this case the two parties could not agree, that happens as well. As of today we don't know if Ekeler will try and
sit out or show up at training camp. So we'll just have to wait it out because a trade is not happening anytime soon.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Even with improved run blocking and maybe better play calls: Allen, Ekeler, Williams and Palmer plus Kelly and Spiller - none are getting faster

Absolutely.

I will be a very disappointed Charger fan if they dont add some speed to the offence and make defences have to defend the whole field and actually worry about Herbert's arm. As it is now a huge waste of one of the NFL's best weapons. And of course somone with YAC and open field moves would be nice

[CanadianBoltFan]

Again with the rumors. I may have found where the "North of $12M" comes from. Spotrac has put a market value on Ekeler of $12.8M. Don't know where that comes from
or how it's calculated or who Spotrac uses to come up with their figures. FYI, they put a market value of $42M on Herbert.

And look it doesn't matter what Ekeler's agent wants, what matters is the figure that Ekeler will settle and play for. Right now he has no choice. So he's playing for
1 year $6.25M or sitting out. That's where we are at and will not change unless he gets an offer, which in my opinion will not happen if at all until after FA and the
draft are over.

Think you are right. Not hard to make a case the guy deserves to make more, just the wrong market right now for what he is attempting.. Dont see many openings or a team that will to trade asset and then have to pay Ekler what he wants.

[Fouts2herbert]

Well it more earlier this week - I am just not going to cut Ekeler. But when he said he wanted a trade - I guess my value for him was different than others. I would have taken a 5th round pick on Monday or Tuesday - truly

I am not looking backward when thinking about Ekeler - I was looking forward in terms of roster construction and resource allocation.

I think the FO was as blindsided by ekeler’s request for a trade as much as the rest of us…and now ekeler has to deal with the reality of the RB market, the highest contract doled out to a RB this offseason is lower than the contract Austin got in 2020! It’s the sanders deal with carolina, same APY but 2mil less in guaranteed money than ekeler got in his old deal…the problem is ekeler is looking at CMC’s absurd contract, his numbers are better than CMC’s but nobody is going to give Austin that type of money…

[CanadianBoltFan]

Guys like Reeder, Callahan , Van Noy - they all have to wait post draft

Now, Isiah McKenzie to replace Carter - that might be something. He is pretty fast dude and has return ability

Think he is an upgrade on Carter. But cap space is the ongoing issue.

[CanadianBoltFan]

A Twitter user named MyTeamHatesMe take…

”Ekeler had 13 attempts for 35 yards averaging 2 yards a carry in a playoff game and walks into that office 2 months later asking for a pay raise and an extension at 28 years old. I would’ve told him to fuck off too”

Thats the thing, for all of Ekler's production this is not a team winning playoff games. I am not putting that all on Ekler obviously, just saying there are other ways to win football games and good teams doing it without investing huge in the RB position and also being able to run the ball better when it counts.

Life would go on withoutEkler, and still winning games. You dont throw your salary structure out the window to make him happy. Herbert, and then Slater are the irreplacable players on this offence, not a RB

[Bolt4Knob]

Thats the thing, for all of Ekler's production this is not a team winning playoff games. I am not putting that all on Ekler obviously, just saying there are other ways to win football games and good teams doing it without investing huge in the RB position and also being able to run the ball better when it counts.

Life would go on withoutEkler, and still winning games. You dont throw your salary structure out the window to make him happy. Herbert, and then Slater are the irreplacable players on this offence, not a RB

sheeeeitttt - I was the guy ready to move on from Bosa and Allen for a myriad of reasons. I am with you - there are two players on this roster that cannot be replaced. And like you, not putting this all on Ekeler. But the Chargers could not just think that less injuries and better play calling would solve all the issues on offense. Ek has been a good player - but I think he can be replaced.

[CanadianBoltFan]

sheeeeitttt - I was the guy ready to move on from Bosa and Allen for a myriad of reasons. I am with you - there are two players on this roster that cannot be replaced. And like you, not putting this all on Ekeler. But the Chargers could not just think that less injuries and better play calling would solve all the issues on offense. Ek has been a good player - but I think he can be replaced.

Well the entire league has moved to a philosophy that just about any RB can be replaced. You rarely see teams willing to invest top 2 round draft picks on RBs anymore, you almost never see teams willing to sign a 3rd contract for RBs anymore.

Get them young, spry and affordable...use them hard for a few years and be thinking about a younger, cheaper replacement with less tread on the tires. Unfortunately for the players ayt the position that is the new reality.

How old is Joe Mixon, not that old. Pretty solid, talented RB. But he is about to be released because the Bengals dont want to pay him 12.8 million this year. This is a Super Bowl contender who right now has no viable alternative as Perine has left also, but they dont seem worried about it, will likeley draft a young back and make it work.

[charger1_sj]

Well the entire league has moved to a philosophy that just about any RB can be replaced. You rarely see teams willing to invest top 2 round draft picks on RBs anymore, you almost never see teams willing to sign a 3rd contract for RBs anymore.

Get them young, spry and affordable...use them hard for a few years and be thinking about a younger, cheaper replacement with less tread on the tires. Unfortunately for the players ayt the position that is the new reality.

How old is Joe Mixon, not that old. Pretty solid, talented RB. But he is about to be released because the Bengals dont want to pay him 12.8 million this year. This is a Super Bowl contender who right now has no viable alternative as Perine has left also, but they dont seem worried about it, will likeley draft a young back and make it work.

Yup. Our only problem TT can't seem to find decent RBs unless they are 1st rounders. Even then they don't work out for very long. Ekeler is
the outliner.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Yup. Our only problem TT can't seem to find decent RBs unless they are 1st rounders. Even then they don't work out for very long. Ekeler is
the outliner.

Sad but true. I think maybe he has to mine the 2nd or 3rd rounds where the talent is better and more obvious.

[Bolt4Knob]

Yup. Our only problem TT can't seem to find decent RBs unless they are 1st rounders. Even then they don't work out for very long. Ekeler is
the outliner.

You can replace "RB" with "any position" quite frankly as Telescos record after R1 speaks for itself. And Melvin Gordon wasn't that great. He was a good solid running back. But they could have found "Melvin Gordon" in the 3rd round