Commanders RB Could Be Playing For Washington Future in NFC Championship

The Washington Commanders are looking to compete for their spot on the team for the future.
Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs against Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) during the fourth quarter of a NFC wild card playoff at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs against Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) during the fourth quarter of a NFC wild card playoff at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler has had an up-and-down season as a result of injuries and adjusting to a new environment.

Bleacher Report writer Alex Ballentine believes Ekeler could be a cap casualty for the Commanders this offseason if he doesn't play well to finish out Washington's season.

"Austin Ekeler was one of the biggest names in the Commanders' 2024 free agent class. The group of new additions has played a major role in Washington's turnaround this season. However, it's fair to wonder if Ekeler needs to be a part of the offense moving forward. Ekeler missed games with multiple concussions this season and will be in his age-30 campaign next season," Ballentine writes.

"The Commanders mostly used Ekeler as a receiving back. Brian Robinson Jr. and Jayden Daniels saw a lot more of the carries. Ekeler did turn his 41 targets into 35 catches for 366 yards. Washington could probably get that kind of production at a much cheaper rate if they are looking to carve out about $3.5 million in their budget."

Ekeler has provided over 100 yards of offense in his two playoff games combined, proving that he can still play a key role for the Commanders.

However, Ekeler has to go out on the right note if he wants to help his chances of staying with the Commanders for the 2025 season.


Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.