The Los Angeles Chargers are set to pick toward the back end of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and as a result haven't necessarily been one of the most talked-about teams in the lead-up to Thursday's festivities. They are still quite an interesting team, though, not only because they have a new offensive coordinator and one of the league's best young quarterbacks who needs an upgrade to the weaponry around him, but also because their most dependable weapon has requested a trade.
Austin Ekeler has been one of the NFL's best pass-catching backs since he entered the league, and he has also became quite an efficient runner despite his lack of size. His current contract pays him just $6.25 million in base salary in 2023, and he wants a raise commensurate with his performance. The Chargers gave him permission to seek a trade and presumably land a new deal, but we have yet to hear any serious smoke about him heading elsewhere.
In a pre-draft press conference this week, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco even said that he had "no update" on Ekeler's situation. One thing Telesco did address, however, was the presence of other running backs on the roster, including 2022 fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller.
"Isaiah kind of fits in that category of kind of players from previous drafts having to step up and fill needs," Telesco said, via The Athletic. "Typically, like in this year's draft, not a lot of these guys are going to come in and fill the need. I know when you look at the draft, you draft players in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth rounds and people think they are going to come in and immediately fill a need. You hope they come in and earn a role. But you're really looking for players from previous draft classes to rise up."
So, if the Chargers pick a running back in the mid-to-late rounds, we shouldn't necessarily expect that player to come in and have a significant role -- even if the Chargers end up trading Ekeler. If they take one early, on the other hand, things might be different. Telesco also shared his philosophy on first-round picks, and whether he wants a player selected there to be a sure-fire, immediate starter.
"If he's coming in and just has to earn a role and doesn't have to take on a starting role immediately, that's fine," Telesco said. "It means you have a pretty strong football team. You'd like to construct it where going into the draft you feel like you're solid across the positions where you don't have to go reach -- not reach for somebody, but really feel forced to take to a certain position. I feel like that's where we are right now."
