Austin Ekeler Demanded A Trade & More Money, Then Proceeded To (Probably) Lose His Starting Job

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Prior to this NFL season, running backs banded together to demand more money. Several high-profile runners demanded trades or held out for contract extensions. That included players like Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler was one of the most vocal.

Unfortunately for Ekeler, he received neither. The Chargers did not trade him. And, although they restructured his contract for this season, they didn't give him a long-term extension. It appears they don't plan to do it after this season, either.

In July, Ekeler organized a Zoom call for running backs around the NFL. The backs wanted to discuss how to revive their position from a financial standpoint. The running back market basically bottomed out, with no NFL teams interested in giving long-term lucrative contracts to running backs.

With that backdrop, this is a big year for Ekeler. He's in the final year of his contract and becomes a free agent after the season. He turns 29 years old prior to next season.

But, more importantly, he isn't playing very well right now.

Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler might be on his way to losing his starting job after demanding a trade and more money in the offseason.

Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler might be on his way to losing his starting job after demanding a trade and more money in the offseason. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

Head coach Brandon Staley, who has supported Ekeler as one of the team's most important players in the past, is now talking about "competition for carries."

"Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening," Staley said Wednesday, according to ESPN. "We're going to keep exploring, making adjustments, so that we can find that rhythm that I've been talking about. That's certainly one way to do it."

Yikes. If Joshua Kelley is taking carries away, that's a bad sign. According to Pro Football Focus, Ekeler ranks 53rd among NFL RBs this season. His backup, Kelley, is actually one spot behind him at 54.

The Chargers offensive line has struggled mightily, but Ekeler isn't generating anything more than they block for him. In some cases, he gives less. Plus, he has four dropped passes.

Moral of the story: if you demand more money, you better go out and perform.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.