Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is set to be a free agent this offseason and the Chicago Bears are among the betting favorites to land him.
According to Bet California, the Bears are tied with the Denver Broncos with the fourth-best odds (+1000) to sign Ekeler next offseason. The Chargers are the favorites to re-sign him (+350), but if that doesn’t happen, some oddsmakers believe the Bears could sneak in.
The only teams with better odds to sign the dual-threat back are the Baltimore Ravens (+700) and Philadelphia Eagles (+700).
“Outside of those two Mid-Atlantic teams, keep an eye on the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears (+900 each), as well as the Chicago Bears,” Bet California’s Christopher Boan wrote.
What Kind of Contract Would Austin Ekeler Be Looking to Sign?
Ekeler, who turns 29 in May, signed a four-year, $24.5 million deal with the Chargers in 2020, and when he tried to get an extension during the 2023 offseason, the team refused. A trade request followed, to no avail, and he played the 2023 season out in L.A. Now, he’s headed to free agency.
#Chargers RB Austin Ekeler is still looking for a team to trade for him and sign him for a new contract for multiple years.
Ekeker said Chargers not discussing a new contract was a punch in the face. pic.twitter.com/rgkauG2wPi
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) April 5, 2023
One of the most underrated dual-threat running backs in the NFL, Ekeler has had at least 500 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving in each of his last six seasons. A rare back who excels both in the open field and in short yardage situations, Ekeler is a rare combination of size, speed and brute force. In 103 career games (68 starts), he has 69 total TDs.
He put his name in the record books at the end of the 2022 season, joining former Rams Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history to more than 10 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving scores in back-to-back years.
So, what kind of deal might Ekeler be looking to sign?
PFF has him projected to sign a two-year contract worth up to $13.5 million ($6.75 million per year, $8 million guaranteed). Spotrac has his market value projected at $7.4 million per year.
Are the Bears a Realistic Landing Spot for Austin Ekeler?
While there’s no doubt Ekeler is a productive playmaker, it’s unlikely he’ll land in Chicago. The Bears brought RB D’Onta Foreman in on a cheap, one-year, $2 million deal last year. GM Ryan Poles hasn’t shown a tendency to spend a ton of money on the position and the Bears already have Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson under contract for next season.
Austin Ekeler is a TD machine pic.twitter.com/Xvq3V9beh7
— alex (@highlightheaven) January 1, 2023
Ekeler also told the Orange County Register in December of 2023 that he plans to be “really selective about where I play next year.” He will surely want to sign with the team that offers him the best contract. It doesn’t look like the 5-foot-10, 200-pound back is staying in L.A.
“I have no idea what’s going on with this organization,” Ekeler told the OC Register about his future with the Chargers. “When it comes to next year with the (new) GM. It might be a guy who likes someone like me and they need a guy like me on the team with what they’re trying to do. It might be someone who’s like, ‘Nah, we don’t want Austin anymore.’”
Never say never, of course, but Ekeler is far more likely to land in Philly or Minnesota than he is in the Windy City.
