Ekeler: Negotiated Incentives for 2023 Contract Year

[Fouts2herbert]

On the bears fan page there’s an article saying that ekeler's agent has been talking to the bears…it sounds like a bullshit rumor…

[CanadianBoltFan]

On the bears fan page there’s an article saying that ekeler's agent has been talking to the bears…it sounds like a bullshit rumor…

Maybe not, if you look around the league that is one of the logicol targets. Have cap space and need weapons. Though the Travis Homer signing might lessen the need for pass catching back.

That seems to be a team an agent would talk to

[Fouts2herbert]

Maybe not, if you look around the league that is one of the logicol targets. Have cap space and need weapons. Though the Travis Homer signing might lessen the need for pass catching back

IDK, generally speaking I don’t believe a lot that’s written between now and the draft…a lot of bullshit gets thrown around this time of year…BTW, I don’t think homer would preclude them from going after a star like ekeler…

[dmac_bolt]

Ekeler has to go because he made me forget about the Aztecs game. Damn it.

I just watched it, i can fill ya in

[QSmokey]

I saw something that listed the Chargers as betting favorites for Zeke Elliott. I guess I get it with the lack of running game and the Kellen Moore connection - but not sure Zeke is the right RB for the Chargers when you can get one in the draft.


Last year was his worst years for yards per carry and yards per catch. Pollard really became option 1
I think - today - pass on Zeke

Makes perfect sense, and is in line with the Throwaway Off-Season so far: Sign an over-the-hill, aging vet on the cheap. Another SB-worthy move by a SB-worthy team! LOL! The team is now moving into laughingstock territory (again).

[richpjr]

On the bears fan page there’s an article saying that ekeler's agent has been talking to the bears…it sounds like a bullshit rumor…

I'm sure his agent is talking to a lot of teams.

[Fouts2herbert]

I'm sure his agent is talking to a lot of teams.

Perhaps, question is are they taking him serious?

[charger1_sj]

You still need a big back to move the pile when nothing is there.

Which running back least belongs on this list (BTW, has nothing to do with overall talent)?

1 Means
2 Butts
3 LT
4 Turner
5 Mr. Broken Clavicles (How, in Hell, do you break each clavicle?)
6 MGIII
7 Ekeler

If I'm handing the ball off on 4th & 1 on my own 37-yard line (I think it was the 37) in a game where the winner makes the playoffs, #7 on the list is the last guy I want getting that ball on a running play. Same thing trying to get a damn first down in the 2nd half of a playoff game, when I'm trying to protect a 27 - 7 lead. If you're a shit team, it doesn't matter. If you want to make a deep playoff run, it damn sure does. Even when we had LT, a great between-the-tackles runner, we still had Turner to pick up the short yards and wear down defenses.

Rules may favor a passing game, but the last time I checked, they didn't eliminate 2nd & short, 3rd & short, and 4th & short. A loss of possession is a loss of possession, whether you blew it on 3rd & 1 or 3rd & 10. Fans don't hate the running game; they hate a bad running game. I don't want to lose Ekeler, who is phenomenal in space, as both a runner and a receiver. I would have no problem giving him a three-year extension at ~$8.5-9M yearly because he will still be an outstanding receiving back. That's if we had the salary-cap space. Still need a power back, if Spiller isn't that guy. Spiller = the great unknown.

The true issue here is Telesco's inability to replace MGIII. Ekeler is a gigantic asset and not the problem.

There are more ways than one to construct a solid team, but I think the lack of a power back is a big hole. Reasonable minds may differ. Nobody is burning up my phone line to hire me as a team-construction-consultant. I wouldn't either. Many here are far better at that than I am.

Very reasonable post. Only issue is you don't need to spend a 1st to get a decent RB capable of pounding the football for 3-4 yards. On the other hand being
that it is a passing league pass rushers and CBs are a more valuable asset at this time. This is exactly why Ekeler is not going to get a $12M/yr contract and
why lots of RB are going for $6/yr or less.

On the flip side we really really don't know what Ekeler would settle for in a negotiation. What he wants is quite a different story. I'm sure every RB wants
a $12M/yr contract. Also sure some would want more. But that's not the way it works in the NFL. It's going to come down to what the situation is. A team
like the 49ers took the bait on CMC because they were SB ready and correctly thought CMC would make a difference. It almost worked. On the other if your
Carolina there no chance your going to give a 27 going on 28 year old RB a big contract.

I'm pretty sure we can get a good RB in rounds 2-3. Of course TT is our GM, so maybe not.

[charger1_sj]

I have read 4 different writers now suggest his ask is in the 12 million range. Is Popper shit too?

Common sense and the current events also dictate the range his ask is. Not that hard to figure out

Fortunatey for the Chargers and fans of the team, he is asking at the wrong time in the wrong market.

Popper never said Ekeler wants a $12M contract. For that matter nobody else said such a thing either. Popper
thinks Ekeler won't get a $12M contract. Who else thinks that: Everybody.

[CanadianBoltFan]

IDK, generally speaking I don’t believe a lot that’s written between now and the draft…a lot of bullshit gets thrown around this time of year…BTW, I don’t think homer would preclude them from going after a star like ekeler…

No you are probably right about Homer being the whole answer,,,and also about speculation. However Ekler's agent must be talking to some teams and the list of targets that make sense is short

[Riverwalk]

Here is a question: would you trade Ekeler, meaning his draft pick in a trade plus the Chargers own 21 to move up to get Bijan

Nope….1st round pick is too valuable for a RB. RB contracts are far less than most other positions these days for a good reason.

Elliot is a hard pass too. He sucks.

I got a strong hunch Ekeler isn’t going to get a better offer than he has here so he remains a Charger next year.

If the team has decided Spiller is a bust, then draft another RB between rounds 3-7.

If they are still confident Spiller is what they thought he was when drafted and Ekeler returns then don’t waste any picks on a RB. Too many other critical positions with no depth or questionable starters.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Popper never said Ekeler wants a $12M contract. For that matter nobody else said such a thing either. Popper
thinks Ekeler won't get a $12M contract. Who else thinks that: Everybody.

Popper is capable of putting 2 and 2 together.

Most us can assume that if Ekler and his agent have taken the drastic step of asking to look for a trade the two sides are far apart. The reason they are far apart is because Ekler and his agent are throwing his production numbers at the Chargers and telling TT he deserves to be paid amont the best RBs in the NFL.

From Popper

If Ekeler wants to reach that next tier of running back contract, he would be looking for something in the $11-12 million range in AAV. Aaron Jones is at $11.5 million. Joe Mixon is at $12 million. Nick Chubb is at $12.2 million, Derrick Henry at $12.5 million and Dalvin Cook at $12.6 million. A step above that was Ezekiel Elliott at $15 million, but he was released by the Cowboys. Alvin Kamara is also at $15 million, and then Christian McCaffrey sets the market at $16.015 million.

Not sure why I have to keep rehashing this with you. Pretty OBVIOUS Ekler wants to be paid in this tier of RBs. You dont take the nuclear option of asking for a trade and risking your relationship with the team if you are asking to be bumped up to 8 million, nor would the team allow it to get to this stage if the difference was that smaller number.

BTW the market makes it pretty clear Ekler likley wont get what he wants. That doesnt mean he isnt asking for the numers of other top backs. Clearly he and his agent have come to the decision he deserves top tier money.