Should The Bucs Be “Serious” About Austin Ekeler?
May 15th, 2023
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler.
Interesting dynamic at One Buc Palace behind the scenes.
The Bucs really are huge believers in Baker Mayfield.
On the outside, however, the Bucs’ offseason moves and non-moves make it appear their gamble on Kyler Traskfield (please remember and never forget, Kyle Trask is “competing”) will become a 2024 first-round pick of a quarterback if it ends with a bad hand dealt, and if the league’s worst rushing attack stays bottom-of-the-barrel.
Veteran NFL scribe Matt Lombardo isn’t buying that the Bucs’ rushing attack will magically blossom. Typing for Heavy.com, Lombardo says if the Bucs really are serious about a good run game, they need to target Chargers running back Austin Ekeler.
Ekeler, per Lombardo, can be had at an inexpensive price.
… interest has been light in the 27-year-old fresh off 1,637 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns in 2022.
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are serious about remaining contending in the NFC South, and beyond, general manager Jason Licht would trade for Ekeler.
Lombardo confesses Ekeler might be a very tight squeeze under the Bucs’ inflated salary cap, but it could be done with financial hopscotch and a reworked contract.
In 2022, Ekeler caught 107 of his 123 targets. Rachaad White and former Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette combined for 141 targets in 2022, Ekeler could elevate how the Buccaneers use the running back position in the passing game, as a proven touchdown-maker.
Of the veteran running backs available, Ekeler is the most dynamic of the bunch and arguably the best schematic fit for the Buccaneers.
Lombardo makes a compelling case for Ekeler in Tampa. And yeah, Ekeler is proven and he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s versatile and dangerous in the red zone. In fact, Ekeler is one of the best red zone threats in the NFL.
Here are Ekeler’s red zone rankings among running backs last season:
Carries: 46 (2nd)
Yards: 194 (1st)
Touchdowns: 11 (3rd)
Catches: 38 (1st)
There is no doubt, Ekeler is an elite weapon in the red zone.
Yeah, Ekeler is 27 and that is the danger-zone age for running backs. There is a reason Ekeler is squawking about a big contract and the Chargers aren’t biting.
With the Bucs, Ekeler would be a short-term fix. And it seems other than bringing back linebacker and franchise icon Lavonte David, the Bucs have a long-term view of roster restoration.
Joe wouldn’t mind adding Ekeler because Joe isn’t sold that the league’s worst running back stable will suddenly snap out of it.
If the Bucs improve to, say, a top-15 rushing attack, would that say more about new offensive coordinator Dave Canales or SpongeBob Byron Leftwich? Probably a little of both.
Or will the Bucs be content to just shrug their shoulders and activate Plan-B next spring with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Michael Penix or Quinn Ewers?
May 15th, 2023 at 4:28 am
He’s a luxury. Unfortunately we’re not in the situation to take on luxury players. Easily could have drafted a rb this past draft, and we balked. Sounds like the kid from the D-2 School and Tucker if healthy may be good enough, from what fellow readers are saying. So I say we hold off for now. Besides I think the FO wants Vaughn to get a shot.
May 15th, 2023 at 4:53 am
i think we truly see what we have in rb1 and sneak…
and i think the rookie tucker looks a bit like a tiki barber with the ball…
it’s a chance to see what we have out of the backfield, and tweek it if necessary as the season moves along…including crafty signings of free agents and waiver wire guys if needed…
and edmonds is probably the security blanket…
i’m ok with going into the season with these 4 guys, on a team that bottoms out with 5 wins and tops out with 10
May 15th, 2023 at 4:58 am
^^^ leopold is right
luxury player right there…the type of guy you sign when you’re a few players away from competing for a superbowl…
any yeah it’s time to take a longer look at sneak possibly…let him settle into the position and get some carries – unless tucker surprisingly comes in an steamrolls his way up the depth chart
May 15th, 2023 at 4:59 am
and yeah*
May 15th, 2023 at 5:25 am
A few thoughts:
1) Ekeler wants to get paid, the Bucs don’t have the salary cap space. If the Bucs extend Mike Evans, it probably won’t be to make room for Ekeler, IMHO.
2) Rachaad White isn’t/wasn’t the league’s worst running back…Did you mean to write “worst running attack”?
May 15th, 2023 at 5:37 am
No.
May 15th, 2023 at 5:58 am
I’d rather save the money and get the young guy experience. I do think if everything goes right we could be a playoff team ( only cause the south sucks) but I’m convinced this is a great season to get a lot of the younger guys on the field.
May 15th, 2023 at 6:03 am
Joe in Michigan makes a good point. And I’ll add in an observation from what his first statement said. The team does NOT trade for players that want to be paid. We have, since Licht has been here that I’m aware of, have paid OUR guys first. We take care of our own, whether it be draft picks or guys from FA. We haven’t traded for and paid anyone a big salary before our guys.
I don’t think Devin White (not that anyone cares at this point) would be too happy about that scenario, whether he understands the situation we’re in or not. Not a very good precedent to set.
May 15th, 2023 at 6:32 am
Good teams develop their core players from within to lessen impact on our salary cap. This would be a dumb move that Licht probably would never consider.
May 15th, 2023 at 6:46 am
Not a chance
May 15th, 2023 at 6:47 am
Might as well.
May 15th, 2023 at 6:50 am
Let’s give Sean Tucker a chance to see what he can do. He has similar built of Austin. He’s strong n fast. He’s the diamond in the rough, a pure steal.
May 15th, 2023 at 7:01 am
This whole year is about player development and paying off the debt of the Superbowl.
May 15th, 2023 at 7:03 am
Floating all these un-affordable players in front of us is like taking a diabetic to Dairy Queen and asking him to sit in the car.
May 15th, 2023 at 7:46 am
Just tank
May 15th, 2023 at 7:54 am
No. No. No. Stop spending. Fix the cap. Let the young players grow.
A 27 year old disgruntled RB? And just because he had success there does not mean he would with the Bucs.
May 15th, 2023 at 7:55 am
LOL, so many of these Non Stories floating around, like the one that has us signing Ezekiel Elliot! WE barely have enough money to buy toilet paper, much less sign any of these guys.
My last name is Tucker, so guess who I am pulling for ?
May 15th, 2023 at 8:03 am
Hey Joe’s,
Can you tell us where we stand regarding the salary cap once all of our current players and draft picks are paid?
Is there anything left?
What about other needs, such as an additional safety and possibly resigning Nassib and Gholston?
As others here have said it looks like heckler would be a big luxury.
May 15th, 2023 at 8:34 am
Joe you complain we don’t develop our own but you constantly want other teams players. Let’s develop what we have and let Matt Lombardo’s genius fall on deaf ears.
May 15th, 2023 at 8:40 am
Eckler is good but often injured…
When you add in the fact that he’s expensive, that makes it a no for me…
May 15th, 2023 at 9:07 am
Pass
May 15th, 2023 at 9:19 am
Bucs will not, their goal is to see what they got with what they have, because the salary cap has already determined who they have.. Can they even afford to sign their rookies, yet?
May 15th, 2023 at 9:31 am
Sign that boy so we have something exciting to watch on offense. Season gonna be miserable if we get bad QB play combined with our mid rbs.
May 15th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Joe says: The Bucs really are huge believers in Baker Mayfield.
Then why is there a QB competition? Are they less huge on Kyle Trask? Such a meaningless, misleading statement.
May 15th, 2023 at 10:03 am
Looks like Dalvin Cook might also be available after June 1st…
I wouldn’t mind having either Cook or Eckler – for the right price.
The Bucs are getting ready to restructure Mike Evans’ contract so there may be enough money left after signing our draft picks to add one or the other.
I hope we stay away from Zeke Elliot though. Not as much tread left on his tires.
May 15th, 2023 at 10:34 am
What do you give up in that trade? And the cap room?
Notice how everybody is signing their draft picks? Notice the Bucs haven’t? They don’t even know how to scrape together enough room for that right now. I have to think they’re quietly working on an extension for Evans and he’s playing hardball.
One obvious way to create a nice chunk of cap space is to trade Devin White. Short of that or an Evans extension, I don’t see any significant cap manipulations happening for acquiring veteran players, especially not a high $ RB.
May 15th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
The Chargers need to pay Austin Eckler and keep him as a Charger.
May 15th, 2023 at 4:48 pm
No to ECkler. JL will only add Free Agents unless a trade he can’t refuse comes along, ie, someone willing to offer the farm for the Diva. That ain’t happening.
May 15th, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Anytime a team can get a stud like eckler, of coarse you get him. It’s a no brainer. I mean the mission is to win now. Eckler is a game changer. He would lift the mood of this organization bigtime. Players, fans, coaches alike…..
Having said that, I don’t think eckler would come here, unless team glazer really comes off the wallet.
May 15th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
Personally I couldn’t care less about the top QB’s in the draft next year. The draft is over. Now it is time to play the games. You have to Play to win or else it degrades the product on the field. No team right now should be thinking about their draft position next year. They should all be thinking about winning the Super Bowl this year.
May 16th, 2023 at 11:05 am
How hard is it to understand that the Bucs dont have any noney to spend. And that they are not in the market for vets to add to that cap hell.
Joe this is just another attempt at beating your loser tank drum.
May 16th, 2023 at 11:08 am
BTW
If you think that this dude is the magic answer to our run game woes. You are a bit confused.
May 19th, 2023 at 7:58 am
OBVIOUSLY, MANY OF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOUR TALKING ABOUT..”AUSTIN ECKLER” IS AN ELITE VERSATILE RUNNING BACK WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS TO JUMP START THEIR RUNNING GAME ( LOOK UP HIS STATS MAN ) HE CAN CATCH AS WELL AS HE RUNS & WOULD DEFINITELY HELP OPEN UP OUR PLAY-ACTION PASSING GAME BECAUSE HE WOULD COMMAND RESPECT.FROM THE OPPOSITION’S DEFENSE..I SAY, ” TRADE LOCKER ROOM CANCER “DEVIN WHITE” TO CHARGERS NOW ,LET SIRVOCIA DENNIS START IN HIS PLACE SO WE CAN TOTALLY CONCENTRATE ON FOOTBALL & WINNING GAMES & TAKE THE DIVISION TITLE FOR THE 3RD YEAR IN A ROW ! ! !