The Washington Commanders’ Week 3 upset of the Seattle Seahawks didn’t just leave them celebrating. It also sent general manager Adam Peters to work behind the scenes, and that effort appears to be leading to a familiar reunion.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Washington is bringing back Austin Ekeler, pending a successful physical. It’s a notable move, but not a surprising one for a player who earned strong respect in the locker room during his first two seasons with the team.
Ekeler arrived before the 2024 season and became a reliable pass-catching option out of the backfield. In 2025, he took over lead-back responsibilities, but his season was cut short after just two games when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon against the Green Bay Packers.
That injury ended his year, and Washington did not immediately bring him back once his contract expired. But after a sluggish start on the ground, Peters has moved to add a proven dual-threat option back into the mix.
If he’s healthy enough, Ekeler could be in position to help quickly. He has spent the summer working to get himself back into football shape, and the biggest hurdle came when he received the all-clear to resume football activities. There was already outside interest in him, including a workout with the Carolina Panthers last week, though they did not offer him a contract.
Now the Commanders appear ready to give him another shot. If the medical side checks out, his return will become official.
There may still be a brief ramp-up period. Ekeler will need to get comfortable in offensive coordinator David Blough’s system, but his prior work with Blough last season should help speed that process along. And for Washington’s running backs, this is a clear message that production matters.
Even with more than a year away from game action, Ekeler has shown he can produce in the regular season. The long layoff could also work in his favor, leaving him fresher than many backs his age.
If Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the rest of the group can’t elevate their play, Ekeler has the ability to take away touches.
Washington spent the offseason moving away from aging veterans, and that approach made sense. Now Peters is turning back to a player the organization knows well in an area that needs help.
The more usable bodies the Commanders have, the better.
At the very least, it’s a fascinating development. Ekeler understands the franchise, bought into Dan Quinn’s culture, and had his injury not derailed him last season, he could have been a major part of the plan.
Instead, he now gets a chance to reclaim some of that lost time.
For a player with Ekeler’s résumé, that may be all he needs.
In Other News...
Raiders Just Sent A Clear Message With This Receiver Decision
The Raiders kept busy with their receiver room on Tuesday, and the latest moves offered a pretty clear look at how quickly this team is willing to reshuffle the bottom of the roster. Las Vegas signed Cody White to the 53-man roster, a move that follows a stretch in which he has emerged as the clubs most productive wideout this season with three touchdowns after previously spending time on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
The transaction also came with a series of accompanying changes, as Jack Bech was placed on injured reserve, Justin Shorter was waived and Phillip Dorsett was brought onto the practice squad. It fits the aggressive roster-management style general manager John Spytek has talked about, and it leaves the Raiders with a receiver picture that is still very much in motion as they sort out who will stick and who will slide into the next opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Head Into Week 4 With Two Key Injury Questions
The Raiders are entering Week 4 still trying to sort through an injury picture that has already tested the depth of the roster. Treydan Stukes has missed multiple games after sustaining a concussion, Jack Bech is dealing with a fractured forearm, and Jackson Powers-Johnson remains on the report with a groin injury, leaving Las Vegas with several moving parts as it prepares for the next stretch of the season.
Head coach Klint Kubiak said Bech is expected to miss time, while Powers-Johnson is still being evaluated, which keeps the outlook fluid for a team that has already seen some players return and others stay sidelined. With Week 4 approaching, the Raiders are left balancing immediate availability with the bigger concern of how long they might have to manage without a few key pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Just Gave Fans A Bigger Reason To Debate This Fast Start
A quick start can feel different depending on the division around it, and for Las Vegas, the early 3-0 run looks even sharper after another round of AFC West results. The Raiders opened the year with a comeback win, and the division snapshot now shows the Chargers stuck at 0-3 while the Chiefs and Broncos have both added wins of their own. That kind of backdrop makes every performance matter a little more, especially for a Raiders team trying to prove the fast start is more than just a September story.
The next test is the one everyone circles anyway: a meeting with Kansas City. With the Chiefs also coming off a win and the rest of the division sorting itself out behind them, Las Vegas is no longer just protecting a clean record. It is carrying the weight of whether this opening surge can hold up when the schedule turns into the kind of matchup that tells you what a team really has. [Read more 🡒]