We’re officially in the NFL’s most dead time of the year. The time between OTAs and minicamps and before training camp and preseason always sees a lull in NFL activity. So, this is when we members of the media get to be creative and play ‘what if’ games and be a devil’s advocate for certain scenarios. It’s fun, it gives us something to do and you something to read while we all contain our tantrums about there being no football.
Recently, Bleacher Report named five cut candidates on teams that might need to move on from that player, but that player still has value in the NFL and won’t be on the market for long. For the Washington Commanders, that player is running back Austin Ekeler.
The Washington Commanders brought in Austin Ekeler to provide a veteran presence to their backfield last year. The results were mixed, though, as the versatile running back only contributed 733 yards and four touchdowns from scrimmage on 112 touches across 12 contests.
While Ekeler performed decently when healthy, he struggled to rekindle the elite form he displayed during his prime with the Los Angeles Chargers. His performances were a far cry from the player who amassed 3,195 yards and 38 touchdowns from scrimmage during a two-year stretch between the 2021-22 seasons.
Although age (Ekeler turned 30 in May) and injuries have slowed the once-dynamic back down, he could still be an asset in the right system. A team that prefers to pass more often than the Commanders (who ranked No. 26 in the league by passing on just 52.6 percent of their offensive plays) and checkdown to the backs frequently could get more mileage out of the fading star.
Ekeler provides strong value in the return game as well. He earned second-team All-Pro honors for his special teams work last year, finishing No. 3 in the league with 594 yards on 19 kick returns.
Although giving up his veteran savvy, pass-catching abilities and return contributions won’t be easy, Ekeler is ultimately replaceable with seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt now in Washington’s backfield mix. The team would gain over $3.4 million in cap savings while only taking a meager $1.5 million in dead money on by releasing Ekeler.
Don’t expect Ekeler to linger on the market too long if he’s released. The back still has some tread left on his tires and could shine in a pass-heavy scheme while also working as a kick returner.
Cutting Ekeler at this point yields nearly $3.5 million in cap space savings. Last season, Ekeler was the second-most used running back outside of Brian Robinson Jr., and he was the fifth-most used receiver. We have to believe that Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury plan to have Jayden Daniels throw the ball more this season and run less, which means an asset like Ekeler is still very much needed. On top of that, he was their top kick return man in 2024, with nearly a 300-yard gap between him and Luke McCaffrey, who was second.
It’s not unfathomable to think that Ekeler is a cut candidate, but it would be an interesting decision. When healthy, Ekeler is absolutely an asset on the field. He has dealt with injuries the last couple of years, though, and that takes a toll. As long as he’s performing as expected in camp, though, and no one else shows him up, expect him to be back on the field wearing burgundy and gold this fall. There is no incentive to cut Ekeler, and Washington remains in excellent salary cap shape.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Is veteran running back a potential salary cap casualty for Commanders