Austin Ekeler breaks silence after demanding trade as ‘underpaid’ Chargers RB lays cards on the table
Last week on March 13, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler requested a trade from the team.
Per ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Ekeler requested permission to speak with other teams as he was unhappy with his current contract.
The team allowed him to seek permission, and he could possibly be traded this off-season.
Chargers’ RB Austin Ekeler is requesting permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade after preliminary talks with the team aimed at a contract extension did not progress, his agent Cameron Weiss told ESPN.
A week later, Ekeler broke his silence about requesting a trade from the team. He appeared on Chris Long's podcast, The Green Light Podcast and spoke about why he's requesting a trade.
Ekeler clarified that he has no hatred towards the Chargers and would stay with the team under the right circumstances.
"I think it's really important to put it out there that it's not like, 'Oh, I hate the Chargers and I need to get out of this organization, and I need to leave. That couldn't be further from the truth. I would like to stay if it was under the right circumstances."
The 27-year-old stated that he is under contract for another season, but he's been outplaying his contract. Ekeler added that he might have the opportunity to seek other options that pay him more.
"Obviously, I have one more year on my contract there, so I'm contractually obligated to play for them for this upcoming year. So, we're in a situation where it's like, look, we have no guarantees or anything like that this year, so kind of in a spot where I've been outplaying my contract, and we might have an opportunity to go seek out other options that can bring me up."
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler on trade request: "I'm so underpaid right now as far as my contract and what I contribute to the team"
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Austin Ekeler deserves a pay raise
Austin Ekeler deserves a contract extension. His $6.13 million base salary for this season with the Los Angeles Chargers ranks 14th amongst running backs. He is in his last year left on the four-year $24.5 million contract that he signed on March 16, 2020.
Last season, he set a career-high in rushing yards (915) and receptions (107) while scoring 18 total touchdowns. Over the course of the last two seasons, he has scored 38 touchdowns.
In his career, he's rushed for 3,727 yards and 34 touchdowns, and has caught 389 catches for 3,448 yards, and 29 touchdowns.
At age 27, Ekeler still has some good years left in his career and hasn't taken a step back in production. He could see himself on a new team this season.