Austin Ekeler has not had a gradual reintroduction to the NFL.
The Washington Commanders signed him on Tuesday ahead of their Week 4 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Five days later, not only did he make the trip to London, but he was also their most effective running back on the field, averaging 7.3 yards per carry.
Ekeler has only carried the ball four times since then, but that might change for the foreseeable future. The Commanders need a new workhorse running back with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on Injured Reserve, and Ekeler's teammates see the same player who was a potent piece of their offense from 2024.
"I just think that he's seen a lot of ball," Jayden Daniels said of Ekeler. "His decisiveness, being a veteran and just his quickness out of the backfield. He's sudden and he's very decisive within his route."
It was an easy decision for the Commanders to bring Ekeler back once he decided he was healthy enough to contribute. Prior to the season-ending Achilles injury he suffered in Week 2 of the 2025 season, he was one of the Commanders' most exciting offensive weapons. He accounted for 733 total yards and four touchdowns in 2024, averaging 6.5 yards per touch with a catch rate of 85%.
It took about a year for Ekeler to feel confident in his body again, but he was just as eager to rejoin the Commanders as they were to have him in the backfield.
"Being back in the brotherhood where I've been around the coaches and I know what to expect over here was really something that was gonna be a more seamless opportunity for me to start playing sooner," Ekeler said.
"Sooner" ended up being less than a week. He got his first carry in over a calendar year in the first quarter of the Colts game, taking it to the right for a three-yard gain. He went for nine and 10 yards on his next two carries and caught a pass from Athan Kaliakmanis for an 11-yard gain in the third quarter. He ended the game as the Commanders' highest-graded offensive player, according to Pro Football Focus, and he is currently 10th on the offense for the season.
"That was a big first step," head coach Dan Quinn said. "It happened actually quicker than I thought with his first week in London. Could he be a spark to bring something? I feel his quickness; I feel his decisiveness."
Ekeler was one of Daniels' biggest security blankets during the Commanders' 2024 season. Daniels had a 101 passer rating when targeting Ekeler that year, and the two picked up where they left off in their first game together against the New York Giants. They connected for a pass on second-and-9 in the second quarter, as Ekeler turned the checkdown into a 15-yard gain.
Thus far this season, Ekeler has four catches on five targets for 30 yards.
"He helps out and just the leadership thing, whether it's protection and run schemes and stuff like that," Daniels said. "He just understands the whole concept of things."
Ekeler should have more opportunities for explosive plays during the Commanders' Sunday Night Football matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Their defense has uncharacteristically struggled so far this season, giving up 131 yards per game on the ground. The unit is coming off a game in which they allowed Javontae Williams to run for 155 yards and a score on 25 carries.
Ekeler might not get that kind of workload on Sunday. He has never had more than 19 attempts in an NFL game, and the Commanders have other options in the backfield that they could use against the Eagles. However, the snap counts for every Commanders running back should increase with Croskey-Merritt out for at least the next month, and Ekeler has already shown that he can make the most of his opportunities.
"I don't care what the record is," Ekeler said, alluding to the Commanders' 1-4-1 start to the year. "I'm still going to go out there and try as hard as I can, put our best effort forward, put the game plan in ... I'm giving all the energy I can at practice."
What's more, Quinn all but confirmed it on Wednesday. You can expect more of Ekeler in the near future.
"Now that he's back, we'll need to lean in more, and he's able to handle a bigger workload now," Quinn said. "It's the right play."
