Ekeler: Negotiated Incentives for 2023 Contract Year

[Bolt4Knob]

In todays NFL, I would NEVER draft a RB in rounds 1 or 2. OL,DL, Edge or QB only. Where was EK drafted? Round 1?, 2?

Top 5, maybe top 10. For sure its Edge, QB and OT.

I am not trading up for Bijan - but at 21 - I think I would be okay with it. I still prefer Edge at 21 over Bijan since WR seems more value in R2

[charger1_sj]

In todays NFL, I would NEVER draft a RB in rounds 1 or 2. OL,DL, Edge or QB only. Where was EK drafted? Round 1?, 2?

Undrafted FA.

[CanadianBoltFan]

Truth. AJ Smith once said going into camp that he knew 47 of the 53 roster spots were taken. And you can tell - traded up for Hester one year, traded a whole lot for Weddle (that one worked - granted the pick 8 picks earlier for buster didn't), drafted guys like Waters the LB and Mouton the LB and Crompton the QB who couldn't hit the broad side of the barn

But Telesco still needs to keep trying to get the RB room

Totally right guys. AJ was killing it and then went off the rails. Jacob Hester and Craig Davis and downhill from there

[dmac_bolt]

I don't want to give up the draft capital it would take to move up from #21 to #10 as you advocated. I don't think that happens. Now if Bijan falls to say the 16th or 17th spot or below the game changes.

OK, you hold on to your draft capital, TT can use LAC’s draft capital and go get us LT 2.0!
Ok ok, seriously - i don’t think he goes Top 10 based on the teams that are picking. Trading up around 14-17 is a wise investment imo, i know most strongly disagree.

But cmon - he is LT 2.0, says so right there!

[dmac_bolt]

Truth. AJ Smith once said going into camp that he knew 47 of the 53 roster spots were taken. And you can tell - traded up for Hester one year, traded a whole lot for Weddle (that one worked - granted the pick 8 picks earlier for buster didn't), drafted guys like Waters the LB and Mouton the LB and Crompton the QB who couldn't hit the broad side of the barn

But Telesco still needs to keep trying to get the RB room

Exactly - The beginning of the end of Lord of No Rings. He went from “Line em up 3 deep and let ‘em compete” to “my roster is too good for any rookie to even make the squad”. Face plant ensued …

[charger1_sj]

OK, you hold on to your draft capital, TT can use LAC’s draft capital and go get us LT 2.0!
Ok ok, seriously - i don’t think he goes Top 10 based on the teams that are picking. Trading up around 14-17 is a wise investment imo, i know most strongly disagree.

But cmon - he is LT 2.0, says so right there!

After our starters this team is an empty shelf. We need so much and have no cap room that this particular draft is very important to critical if we're going
to compete for a championship with Herbert at the helm. So I respectfully disagree. If the draft is as deep as some believe we are better off trading
down and getting more draft picks rather than the opposite. Now with that said if Bijan is as good as you say and he isn't taken by lets for arguments
sake say @16 then he may be worth giving up what it would take to get him. But moving to #10 from #21 is a no go.

[Bolt4Knob]

After our starters this team is an empty shelf. We need so much and have no cap room that this particular draft is very important to critical if we're going
to compete for a championship with Herbert at the helm. So I respectfully disagree. If the draft is as deep as some believe we are better off trading
down and getting more draft picks rather than the opposite. Now with that said if Bijan is as good as you say and he isn't taken by lets for arguments
sake say @16 then he may be worth giving up what it would take to get him. But moving to #10 from #21 is a no go.

With Herbert coming due - from a roster building and cap perspective - having two picks in R2 and two picks in R3 is better than using a 3rd or 4th to move up for Bijan

[gzubeck]

We were loaded at the time and the running game was a very important part of the offense. Fast forward, it's now a passing league WRs are coveted RBs are not.
I can see picking up a RB from the UDFA market even if we draft one. But there no chance we are drafting 2RB whether we lose Ekeler or not.

AJ had 2 years where he absolutely killed it. Then he got cocky, tried to outsmart the league and his drafts went down the tube.

I think this is bullshit! We still run the ball at least 40% of the time and if you have the luxury of a monster RB there might be times where it's 50% of the time. Might as well move up to draft Richardson who is a passing Running Back. LOL!

[Fouts2herbert]

I’d rather keep Ekeler for one more year and draft 1 RB and address depth at other positions.

Seems like ekeler will be back and that he’ll play out his contract, it’s not the sexiest outcome for the anti-ekeler crowd but it’s the most likely scenario…as for drafting another RB, I’d like charbonet but I don’t think he’ll be there in the third and the chargers need to address more imprortant concerns than RB in the first two rounds, primarily edge and then after that I’m split between TE, WR, and OL…

can we please take a one year break from drafting RBs? Dernest johnson is still out there, there are other viable veteran guys available for cheap and with kelley, ekeler, and a 1 year flyer coming off the books in 2024 offseason, the 2024 draft is the right time to go RB in the second round next year…

[wu-dai clan]

"Anti-Ekeler."
Sure.

I prefer a more accurate label.
Fan with "High Football IQ."

[Bolt4Knob]

"Anti-Ekeler."
Sure.

I prefer a more accurate label.
Fan with "High Football IQ."

I have no idea if I am anti-Ekeler - I just think for 6.25m of cap space - they could make a more well rounded team for this year. Odds are, if the offense gets to where the offense needs to go - Ekeler will not have nearly the output he had this past year. But the team will be better, will score more points, be more dynamic.

[richpjr]

I have no idea if I am anti-Ekeler - I just think for 6.25m of cap space - they could make a more well rounded team for this year. Odds are, if the offense gets to where the offense needs to go - Ekeler will not have nearly the output he had this past year. But the team will be better, will score more points, be more dynamic.

I just am not getting how getting rid of your best non-QB skill player makes the team better, more dynamic or scoring more points for that $6 million - especially when some of that money or a draft pick will have to be spent replacing him. $6 million is one mid-level veteran or a couple of depth vets and that won't move the needle.