The Washington Commanders haven't benefitted from Austin Ekeler's presence in the lineup since the running back suffered a serious concussion against the Dallas Cowboys. That's about to change.
Ekeler was rightfully placed on injured reserve after taking a violent hit on a kick return. The former Western Colorado standout gave an honest assessment of his symptoms and memory loss of the incident. This left fans wondering whether the Commanders would risk him again this season.
Washington erred on the side of caution with Ekeler. They gave him all the time he needed to recuperate and progress through the NFL's concussion protocol. After some satisfying progress, the Commanders officially opened his 21-day practice window this week.
Commanders should remain cautious with Austin Ekeler's involvement
The dual-threat weapon got a full workload throughout the week's three sessions. Ekeler was officially activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday after coming through his latest rehabilitation hurdle unscathed.
Things got even better from Ekeler's perspective when the Commanders removed him from the injury report entirely. He'll suit up after not being named among the inactive players, but how much involvement the veteran receives is another matter.
The Commanders are aiming to secure the sixth seed with a final-day victory. Head coach Dan Quinn wants his squad to finish on a high and build additional momentum before their wildcard playoff clash next weekend. At the same time, he needs to keep the bigger picture in mind where Ekeler is concerned.
He's been out for a few weeks. Finding the right balance between acceptable usage and player safety will be crucial for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders wouldn't have activated him if they weren't satisfied with his recovery. However, there's just no telling what another punishing hit will do to the player when push comes to shove.
Ekeler's presence has been sorely missed. He played a secondary role behind Brian Robinson Jr. more often than not, but his pass-catching prowess out of the backfield quickly became a trusted asset for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to call upon on his meteoric surge to superstardom.
This will be needed if the Commanders want to make some noise in the playoffs. Ekeler is a big-game performer who thrives when the stakes are highest. Getting him some involvement at the Cowboys would be beneficial, but don't expect much with the knockout stage on the immediate horizon.
It'll be interesting to see how the Commanders handle this matter. Ekeler will be chomping at the bit for carries and targets. He's a team-first guy who wants to help Washington cement the sixth spot and avoid having to face the Philadelphia Eagles. He'll also know that next weekend carries much more significance in the grand scheme of things.
Having Ekeler back is a massive boost regardless of whether he plays much in Dallas or not.