Chargers News: Austin Ekeler Opens Up On Trade Request, Believes He's 'Very Underpaid'

Ekeler breaks the silence finally.

Austin Ekeler, primary running back for the Los Angeles Chargers, took the NFL headlines by storm when he not only failed to come to an extension agreement with the front office but also was granted permission to find a team willing to trade for him. Not much else had come about since then but fans have been growing frustrated with Ekeler's cryptic social media posts and failure to address his situation.

However, Ekeler has finally decided to face the public and explain the reasoning behind his recent decisions. The 27-year-old joined Chris Long on his Greenlight podcast and revealed that he is not too sure when his contract status will be resolved.

#Chargers’ RB Austin Ekeler speaks in detail on his frustrations with his current contract and trade request on the @greenlightpod with Chris Long:

“I feel like there’s no timeline on this. I’m so underpaid right now as far as my contract and what I contribute to the team, I am… pic.twitter.com/QP6agGsUrw

— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) March 21, 2023

"I feel like there’s no timeline on this. I’m so underpaid right now as far as my contract and what I contribute to the team, I am relentlessly pursuing this. I want something long-term. I want a team who wants me long-term. I'm at the peak of my game, I'm getting half of the value of what I can be getting."

(Via Greenlight Podcast)

These are some very heavy and interesting words coming from the former Western Colorado running back. It has been clear that Ekeler wants much more money than he is currently getting and he reveals in this conversation that he feels under-appreciated, underpaid, and doesn't believe that believe that LA currently wants him long-term.

This also explains why Ekeler likely hasn't been dealt yet. If he wants a lot of money, this offseason just doesn't look like it's the one for him. The RB free agency market has looked very low as multiple players at the same position as Ekeler have been signing deals that are either worth not much money or do not have many years on them.

However, it is good to finally hear at least a little bit of Ekeler's side of things and we'll keep you updated as we know more !