Austin Ekeler was supposed to be a key piece of the Washington Commanders’ offense in 2025. Instead, his season ended abruptly in Week 2 with a torn Achilles, a brutal non-contact injury that immediately ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Now approaching free agency, Ekeler’s future in Washington appears uncertain. With the Commanders focused on surrounding Jayden Daniels with a stronger supporting cast, one NFL analyst predicts the team will move in a different direction and target a younger running back coming off a career-best season.
Commanders Predicted To Replace Austin Ekeler With Former Second-Round Pick
Ekeler signed a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders in 2024 but never made the impact the team envisioned. He appeared in 12 games during the 2024 season, carrying the ball 77 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns. His 2025 campaign ended almost as soon as it began, as Ekeler managed just 43 rushing yards before suffering a torn Achilles.
Given Ekeler’s injury history and the fact that he has never eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in a single season, a return to Washington appears unlikely. As a result, the Commanders may look to upgrade the position, and PFSN analyst Ryan Guthrie believes they could target Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams in free agency.
“Washington can afford to gamble,” Guthrie wrote. “With Jayden Daniels on a rookie deal, the Commanders can invest in a physical run game.
“Javonte Williams is coming off a career year with over 1,200 rushing yards and a top-10 NFL PFSN RB impact grade (74.5). Dan Quinn gets back to a hard-nosed identity while protecting his young quarterback.”
Williams, a former second-round pick (35th overall) by the Denver Broncos in the 2021 NFL Draft, made an immediate impact as a rookie, rushing for 903 yards and 4 touchdowns while adding 316 receiving yards and 3 scores through the air. However, he failed to surpass 800 rushing yards in any of the following seasons before reviving his career with the Cowboys.
In 2025, Williams carried the ball 252 times for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also catching 35 passes for 137 yards and 2 receiving scores. He finished ninth in PFSN’s NFL RB Impact Metric with a C grade, positioning himself for a lucrative payday this offseason.
With Daniels still on his rookie contract, Washington has the financial flexibility to be aggressive in free agency. However, Dallas is equally motivated to keep Williams in the fold.
“Javonte is at the top of our list to go out and sign. and we want to bring him back,” said COO Stephen Jones. “We want to sign him to a multiple-year deal, and Adam [Prasifka, Dallas cap guy] and I have been talking about it, how we want to get started with his agent.
“It’s my understanding he really wants to be back as well, which is helpful, but certainly that’s one of our priorities is to get him re-signed.”
While retaining Williams would be a logical move for the Cowboys, Spotrac projects his market value at $7.4 million per year, and it remains to be seen whether Jerry Jones is willing to meet that price. If Dallas balks at the cost, the Commanders could be well-positioned to swoop in and make Williams a centerpiece of their offense moving forward.
