The Los Angeles Chargers‘ nightmarish start to the 2026 campaign continued in Week 3 with a 24-16 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Despite forcing five turnovers against the Bills, the Chargers’ offense remained stuck in the mud, and their failure to capitalize on Buffalo’s mistakes resulted in them suffering their third straight loss to begin the year.
Simply put, Los Angeles’ new-look offense is a mess, as quarterback Justin Herbert looks completely lost under center. It wasn’t too long ago that Herbert looked like one of the better passers in the league, and with many fans reminiscing about better times for the Chargers, they were surely quick to note that a former star player of theirs, running back Austin Ekeler, officially signed with a team in free agency on Monday morning.
Ekeler spent the first seven years of his career with the Chargers, and during his prime, he was an absolute touchdown machine. While he somehow doesn’t have a Pro Bowl selection to his name, Ekeler was dominant in 2021 and 2022 for L.A., as he led the league in total touchdowns both years (20 in ’21, 18 in ’22).
After the 2023 campaign, Ekeler departed for the Washington Commanders in free agency, which is where he spent the past two years. Ekeler’s 2025 season was cut short after he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 2, which forced him to take part in a long and arduous injury rehab process.
Now that he’s healthy, Ekeler recently began inching towards finding a new home, as he visited with the Carolina Panthers last week. He ended up not signing with them, which allowed the Commanders to swoop in and reunite with him, as reports emerged indicating that the team would be adding him to its running back room ahead of Week 4.
Reunion: The Commanders are expected to sign FA RB Austin Ekeler to their 53-man roster pending physical, sources tell me and Mike Garafolo,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “Ekeler, who is healed from an Achilles tear and worked out for the Panthers last week, lands back in a familiar place.”
Chargers Facing Must-Win Game in Week 4
Los Angeles’ offense has been a mess, but its running back room has actually been a bright spot, as Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell have proven themselves to be a strong duo. Ekeler isn’t the same player he once was, but he should help get Washington’s anemic run game going, which will be very important for however long their starting quarterback Jayden Daniels is forced to miss.
With a 0-3 record, the Chargers are at risk of completely falling apart before their season even has a shot at getting off the ground. Things aren’t going to get any easier for this team anytime soon, though, as they will square off against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, with kickoff scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Oct. 4.
Former Chargers 20-TD Scorer Signs With Commanders in Free Agency