The Washington Commanders have surely bounced back after losing the game against the Green Bay Packers, 27-18. Although their grand victory, 41-28 against the Las Vegas Raiders, must have brought back hope as they put in the first 40-point game of the season. However, there is one important part of the Commanders’ offense still missing, and fans are worried about his comeback. 

On 21st September, the Commanders not only lost the match against the Packers but also suffered some serious injuries. The most prominent one of them was Austin Ekeler. Commanders’ WR was ruled out of the game because of what seemed like a lower leg injury. A later test confirmed that he has suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. With fans worrying about his surgery and recovery, Ekler recently updated everyone about his journey so far through Instagram.

Ekler posted a short video of himself on Instagram, captioned “Surgery went well. Now back on the road to recovery. I’m going to have some weekly events going and I’m super excited to share them with y’all.”

In the video, Ekler mentioned that he is not allowed to lift weights for 14 days and cannot even sweat due to the risk of infection. He also mentioned his leg scooter, which clearly shows that the WR is still using it for movement. However, it appears that all these restrictions aren’t stopping Ekler from working out and keeping his body in motion. He has purchased a set of dumbbells and does 50 curls and 50 shoulder presses every hour to keep his body activated. In the same video, Ekler said that he is not going to just sit around, despite doing his rehab. 

Although the chances of him returning to the gridiron this season are slim, the good news is that Ekler is recovering well. Before the injury, Ekler had a decent run, having 14 carries for 43 yards with an average of 3.1 yards per carry. He was coming off a strong 2024 season, finishing third in the NFL with 594 kickoff return yards on 19 total returns in 12 games. These stats were the reason why fans and the team were expecting Ekler to deliver this season. But now the Commanders have to bring in their plan B for wide receiver and test their depth. 

Commanders make some changes after Ekeler’s injury

Ekler’s injury was a big blow for the Commanders, as he was the primary back. Although the Commanders’ offensive game doesn’t revolve around a single dominant rusher, Ekler was exceptional in spread packages and third downs. Now, with Ekler gone, the Commanders’ running back depth was put to the test.  

After Ekler’s injury, the Commanders had to bring in some running back help. This comes after the team traded Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers last month. On Monday, the team announced that they are signing Chase Edmonds to the practice squad. This move has added the much-needed depth in the running back room, which went thin after the game against the Packers. The commanders even have Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. in their depth chart. 

Now that the grand victory over the Raiders has proven the Commanders’ plan following the veteran’s absence is working. The team gained 400 yards and scored 34 points on offense. However, the team will have to maintain the same momentum for the rest of the season, as the offense will now have to do so without Austin Ekeler.