Austin Ekeler seemed pretty close last week to signing with the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
He came to Carolina to workout for the staff and show that he was fully recovered from his torn Achilles. Reports indicated that his workout went well, too, and it was a logical pairing given the injuries that the Panthers were facing at the running back position.
The Panthers ended up not signing Ekeler, though, and if they had any thoughts of circling back to him at a later date, that chance has now gone out the window.
Instead of joining Carolina, Ekeler has instead signed with a different NFL team.
Austin Ekeler Signs Free Agent Contract
Ekeler is actually returning from whence he came.
He was playing for the Washington Commanders when he tore his Achilles, and it’s the Commanders who are bringing Ekeler back.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the details of the signing early Monady morning:
Reunion: The #Commanders are expected to sign FA RB Austin Ekeler to their 53-man roster pending physical, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
Ekeler, who is healed from an Achilles tear and worked out for the #Panthers last week, lands back in a familiar place. pic.twitter.com/YZGlmGdFjK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 28, 2026
Rapoport even notes the Panthers workout in his post. Carolina ended up just being a positive sign that Ekeler was feeling healthy again, but it didn’t end up being his landing spot.
There won’t be an obvious reason given anytime soon, one wouldn’t think, for why Ekeler didn’t actually sign with the Panthers.
But if the Panthers still wanted him eventually, they can’t have him now.
Panthers RB Depth Chart
The Panthers were considering Ekeler because they had just placed Jonathon Brooks on IR with a core muscle injury.
They must’ve felt OK with the guys they already had in the building, though.
On Sunday, their RB depth chart consisted of Chuba Hubbard, AJ Dillon and Anthony Tyus. That seems like the most likely trio going forward unless the Panthers look elsewhere in free agency.
Austin Ekeler NFL Career
Ekeler is originally an undrafted player out of Western State in Colorado.
He grew into a star with the Chargers for his dual-purpose ability as a running back, making his mark early in his career as a pass catcher more than anything else. He eventually showed he could run between the tackles, too, as well as finish drives near the goal line with big jumps over the offensive line.
He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chargers, then played 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Commanders.
Ekeler is 31 now, and his last mostly healthy season was with Washington in 2024, when he had 77 runs for 367 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and 35 catches for 366 yards.
In his career, Ekeler has appeared in 117 NFL games and has 1,081 runs for 4,765 yards and 43 touchdowns while catching 480 passes for 4,288 yards and another 30 TDs.
He’ll now get a chance to add to those totals back in the nation’s capital.
Panthers Get Big Austin Ekeler News In Free Agency