The Washington Commanders approach the 2025 NFL draft in a position unlike any other in team history, thanks to the brilliance of last season’s first round pick, quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Because of Daniels, the Commanders are in “win now” mentality for the first time in a generation, coming off a 12-5 regular season and a trip to the NFC championship game. It was the franchise’s strongest season since their last Super Bowl victory in 1991.
Being in “win now” mindset has involved trading draft picks for seasoned talent such as left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Those transactions have reduced the Commanders’ draft picks to only five in 2025, but the franchise has managed to keep their first-round pick at No. 29 overall.
On the verge of the draft, the Commanders should address one of the roster’s main problems at running back with a series of decisions that should include releasing veteran Austin Ekeler, which would free up $3.6 million in salary cap space.
Concussions The main concern for Ekeler moving forward
While Ekeler earned NFL All-Pro honors as a return specialist in 2024, he’s a liability going forward after missing five games last season due to two separate concussions.
Combine that with a 2025 draft class that is regarded as one of the deepest in recent memory for running backs, and you can see a clear way forward.
Bleacher Report had Ekeler targeted as a possible salary cap casualty immediately after the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
According to Bleacher Report, “The Commanders mostly used Ekeler as a receiving back.” Brian Robinson Jr. and Jayden Daniels had a lot more carries. Ekeler did turn his 41 targets into 35 catches for 366 yards. If Washington wants to carve out approximately $3.5 million in their budget, they could definitely achieve that level of production for a lot less money.”
Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac has Ekeler named as one of his “2025 roster bubble candidates” before the close of the regular season.
Ekeler signed a two-year, $8.34 million contract with the Commanders in March 2024 after spending the first seven years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, and he has $31.8 million in career earnings entering 2025.
Ekeler Suffered ‘Major Symptons’ After the second concussion
In Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys, Ekeler suffered a concussion so severe it forced him to miss the next 4 games.
“I didn’t even remember how I got off the field,” Ekeler stated in a radio interview after his Week 12 concussion. “I only remember coming to the realization that I had short-term memory loss.
My wife was seated in the room, and I was being evaluated by our medical personnel in the back. That’s when I began to remember things, and then all of a sudden, OK, we’re getting into the back of the ambulance to get a CT scan. I was clearly concussed and had some serious symptoms.”
Ekeler, who turns 30 in May, has contended with injury concerns throughout his career. He missed 7 games in 2020 with knee and hamstring ailments, 3 games in 2023 with a high ankle sprain, and time in 2018 and 2021 due to concussions.
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