Chargers News: Austin Ekeler Offers Injury Update, Emphasizes Caution in Recovery
As the Los Angeles Chargers get ready for their Week 4 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, they still don't know the status of running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler suffered an ankle injury in their week one loss to the Miami Dolphins, and he has missed the last two weeks.
But the veteran back did provide an update recently and took part in limited drills Wednesday in practice. It doesn't mean he will return Sunday, but it's a good sign for his recovery.
“Just making sure it’s secure,” Ekeler said of what he accomplished in Wednesday’s practice. “Running around a little bit, get a workout in, do some straight ahead stuff, do some curve running, do some cuts. That seemed to go well, now let’s take the next step.”
LA won't put him back out there without him being ready to go. The worst thing they could do is make the injury worse and then have him miss extra time because they rushed things.
So they will likely be cautious with his ankle and only clear him to play if he can withstand everything in a game. The hope is that he can return to the lineup, mainly because the Chargers rushing attack hasn't looked the same without him.
“I’m not at a point where I’ve gone out there and tried to push it 100 percent yet,” Ekeler said. “That’s now how the process works. You continue to build yourself back. It’s kind of like climbing the stairs. You’re not just going to jump straight to the top stair and tell me, ‘Oh yeah I can make it there.’ You kind of go one by one, a progression towards going 100 percent.”
LA does have a bye week after the game against the Raiders, so they could elect to have Ekeler miss one more game and then use the extra week to help him recover. They need him going forward, so having him miss this week could be best for this squad if he isn't ready.
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