Nine-year veteran running back Austin Ekeler has not drawn much interest on the free agent marker, but that could change now that the NFL Draft is over and done with. A former undrafted free agent, Ekeler used to be one of the game’s premier dual-threat backs at the peak of his career. While those years have long since passed, he was a reliable pass-catching weapon as recently as 2024. Unfortunately, he missed the vast majority of the 2025 season after tearing his Achilles, and nobody knows if he’ll be on a Week 1 roster.
Now entering his age-31 season and currently unsigned, this could be the end of the road for Ekeler. However, seeing as the 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, a team that missed out on a running back may turn to Ekeler and see if he has anything left in his tank. In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar made his case for why the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans could pursue the Western State product.
“Ekeler may also establish himself as a target for Jordan Love in the Packers’ passing attack, as he surpassed 400 receiving yards in six of his eight seasons prior to last year,” Bachar writes. “…Tennessee ended up taking Penn State running back Nick Singleton in the fifth round on Saturday, but that might not prevent them from bringing in a veteran such as Ekeler alongside Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.”
Packers, Titans Linked To Free Agent RB Austin Ekeler
Josh Jacobs is still a great running back, but the former first-round pick isn’t getting any younger. The seven-year veteran has recorded at least 280 touches in each of the past five seasons, and the human body can only take so much punishment. Now entering his age-28 season, Green Bay should look for someone to reduce his workload.
While Jacobs can make plays as a receiver, he’s always been more of a threat on the ground. Signing someone like Austin Ekeler as a free agent will allow Jacobs to spend more time between the tackles, which is better for his overall game. Assuming he’s healthy, Ekeler is more than capable of handling passing-down work, and his presence could help Jacobs stay fresh throughout the season.
The Tennessee Titans, meanwhile, are doing everything they can to support second-year quarterback Cam Ward. The team used the fourth-overall pick on Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, and there’s speculation they would have selected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love had he been on the board.
Ekeler is no Jeremiyah Love, especially at this stage in his career, but it’s clear the Titans want to upgrade the running back position. Tony Pollard has been quietly productive since joining the Titans, but Tyjae Spears has not lived up to his pre-draft billing. Austin Ekeler won’t steal the starting job from Pollard, but he could push Spears and rookie Nick Singleton for the RB2 job. If nothing else, it wouldn’t hurt to add a veteran presence to this young offense.
