Austin Ekeler has made the media rounds this offseason, complaining about the running back market and his inability to secure an extension by the Chargers. He received permission from the Chargers to gauge outside interest and see if a trade partner was willing to part with draft capital and extend him. To Ekeler’s very public frustration, no suitors came to the table.
The plight of the NFL running back is a topic worth delving into much further, centered largely around the rookie wage scale handcuffing running backs from negotiating their entry contacts until they’ve completed three years of service, but wholly restricting leverage until their fifth year is complete.