Austin Ekeler will remain a beast in the AFC West

The L.A. Chargers have locked up Austin Ekeler with a new four-year contract that keeps him in the AFC West.

The Los Angeles Chargers have reportedly reached an agreement with running back Austin Ekeler, who was scheduled to hit restricted free agency. With a new four-year extension with $15 million in guaranteed money, the deal keeps the dangerous running back in the AFC West for the foreseeable future.

Adam Schefter reported the terms of the deal, stating that the ceiling of the contract is $24.5 million—an average of just over $6 million per season for Ekeler. It will be interesting to see how the deal is ultimately laid out on a per year basis.

Ekeler has turned into a two-way offensive weapon for the Chargers who has been particularly dangerous against the Chiefs. As the Chargers have figured out how to best use him, especially in the wake of injuries or a holdout on the part of Melvin Gordon, Ekeler has become more dynamic with each passing year of his NFL career. In 2017, Ekeler had 539 yards from scrimmage, but last season, he nearly tripled that total at 1,550 yards from scrimmage.

Over the last two years against the Chiefs, Ekeler has averaged 79.3 rushing yards and 36.3 receiving yards per game, good for a total of just under 116 yards from scrimmage per game. And Ekeler isn’t just strong against the Chiefs. He had 15 receptions against the Broncos earlier in 2019 and averages 15.44 yards/reception against the Raiders.

The Chargers are going through a major offensive overhaul this season with the news that Philip Rivers will not be returning under center. They’ve also already traded Russell Okung for a Pro Bowl performer at guard in Trai Turner. The ability to retain Ekeler will allow whoever suits up at quarterback to have one of the league’s best pass catching backs at his disposal. It also keeps AFC West defenses on their heels having to account for Ekeler’s presence on most plays.