Entering the free agency period of 2024, the LA Chargers running back room includes Jaret Patterson, Elijah Dotson, and Isaiah Spiller. Given the new coaching staff includes Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman, a more capable stable of RBs seems like it should be a priority. Both Harbaugh and Roman are long-time proponents of a heavy emphasis on establishing a run game.

Harbaugh expressed that sentiment in a press conference stating, “we’re going to have a huge emphasis on the run game.” One key piece of the run game puzzle is free agent Austin Ekeler. Ekeler is unrestricted and is coming off a down year, but he’s included in a FA class that boasts Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Derrick Henry, among others. Harbaugh says that Ekeler is “a tremendous back and we’d love to have him on the team next year.”

Coachspeak is a Harbaugh specialty and the Chargers/Ekeler relationship has been strained in recent years. Time will tell whether that was more attributable to ownership or former GM Tom Telesco, but given Ekeler’s struggles in 2023 and his intent to explore greener pastures, don’t expect Ekeler to be a Charger in 2024.