How does the contract compare to other top RBs?
Adam Schefter broke the news about an hour ago and this is what we know so far:
Chargers and restricted free-agent RB Austin Ekeler reached agreement on a four-year, $24.5 million deal that includes $15 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN.@camRONweiss of @DynamicSportGrp and @Chargers’ EVP Ed McGuire have been negotiating the deal since early January.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2020
You read that right, one of the best and most productive running backs in the NFL just signed a 4-year deal at 24 years old and will make just over $6 million per year.
I mean, there is no way to look at that and think anything other than the Los Angeles Chargers just got an absolute steal.
If you ignore the brilliance of the Chargers front office (weird words for me to say) and look at the ramifications that a deal like this has, you should come away with two more takes.
1. Derrick Henry is either going to get over paid based on this deal, or his contract is going to be seven digits per year and not eight which is huge.
2. The market just got another big name with Melvin Gordon now all but gone. Supply up and demand down are good recipes for smaller contracts.