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The Derrick Henry trade talk has seemed to die down after a whirlwind weekend. Just like an appetite, there is another rumor right around the corner. The latest one has the Philadelphia Eagles making a blockbuster move for Austin Ekeler. The dual-threat running back would certainly provide a dynamic punch to Nick Sirianni’s offense.
Ekeler racked up 1,637 all-purpose yards last season along with 18 total touchdowns. He is a lightning bolt out of the backfield, whether slashing inside the tackles or making receptions in open space. The 5-foot-10, 210-pounder has amassed 3,727 rushing yards and 3,448 receiving yards since going undrafted in 2017. The Eagles have long been rumored as a perfect landing spot.
Bolt Beat’s Jason Reed predicted a scenario where the Eagles send a 2023 seventh-round pick and 2024 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for Ekeler. He acknowledged it would be a hard sell for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman – especially since Ekeler will turn 28 years old on May 17 – but the reward could far outweigh the risk.
Reed wrote: “Ekeler in that offense would be incredible and that is the vision that the Eagles would be selling themselves. A lot of dominoes would have to fall for this to happen but if it does then the Chargers cannot say no.”
Reed isn’t the only one saying that the Chargers star could take his talents to South Philly. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso had the Eagles sending pick No. 30 (Round 1) and pick No. 54 (Round 2) to Los Angeles in a trade for Ekeler. Neither scenario addresses the major elephant in the room: Ekeler wants a long-term contract extension, one that Spotrac sets the market value at $12.8 million per year.
Vikings Exercise 5th-Year Option on Justin Jefferson
Justin Jefferson is the one player that Eagles fans refuse to let go. He was gift-wrapped for them in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft, but the team shifted gears and took Jalen Reagor instead. Everything has mostly worked out thanks to DeVonta Smith’s emergence and A.J. Brown’s arrival.
However, Jefferson’s name still evokes intense emotion from the rabid football town he never got to call home. The three-time Pro Bowler has arguably been the best receiver in football since 2020: 324 receptions for 4,825 yards and 25 touchdowns. And now he’s one step closer to being the highest-paid player at his position.
The Minnesota Vikings officially exercised the fifth-year option on Jefferson on April 25. He’ll earn $19.7 million for the 2024 season which is a mind-blowing jump from the $2.4 million he’s due in 2023 during the final year of his rookie deal. The expectation is that a long-term contract extension is on the horizon, one that could pay Jefferson more than $30 million per year. To put that in perspective, A.J. Brown makes roughly $25 million per year. Jefferson is about to cash in.
Eagles Report for Offseason Conditioning Program
The Eagles began their offseason conditioning program on April 24 as players hit the gym and flashed wide smiles for the cameras. This is the fun part of the business or the calm before the storm. The team announced two minor roster moves to kick things off, then Jalen Hurts officially inked his $255 million contract. Training camp is still three months away but the hard work, including the 2023 NFL draft, has started.
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