A familiar face is returning to the Commanders.
After going unsigned this offseason, running back Austin Ekeler is expected to re-sign with the Commanders midseason and be placed on their 53-man roster pending a physical, according to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
Ekeler, 31, is fully healed from an Achilles tear he suffered in Week 2 of last season.
He worked out for the Panthers last week after Jonathon Brooks’s injury, and now returns to the team he spent the last two seasons with.
Injuries restricted him to only eight starts in 14 games through his first two seasons in Washington, when he tallied 410 rushing yards on 91 carries with four touchdowns and 404 receiving yards on 40 catches.
Ekeler’s signing is not related to Rachaad White’s shoulder injury in Sunday’s game, per ESPN.
White, who leads the team with 151 yards from scrimmage this year, returned to Washington’s 33-31 upset win over the Seahawks.
The Commanders also have leading rusher Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has recorded 142 rushing yards this season, along with rookie Kaytron Allen in their running back room.
Ekeler brings familiarity and trusted experience in a developing backfield for Washington, though he will likely be in a depth role.
He spent the first seven years of his career with the Chargers after going undrafted in 2017, becoming a reliable all-purpose back in Los Angeles.
Ekeler topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage in four seasons there, passing 1,500 yards three times.
Over his first nine seasons in the NFL, Ekeler has 480 career receptions, 4,288 receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns.
