Commanders news: Jayden Daniels, Austin Ekeler, J.J. McCarthy and trading up

Austin Ekeler on Commanders QB choice

Whichever quarterback the Washington Commanders take at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, they are going to have a strong support system in place. This bears more significance alongside them in the backfield, with Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler representing a productive tandem capable of becoming impactful within Kliff Kingsbury's offensive scheme.

Ekeler signed a two-year deal that looks pretty cost-effective providing there's no dramatic drop-off in production. He won't be the bell cow we saw with the Los Angeles Charges, but his ability to impact the passing game and red-zone efficiency should be highly advantageous for Washington's new rookie signal-caller to call upon.

When discussing the Commanders' franchise-altering decision, Ekeler sat on the fence. The player admitted he'd not done a lot of research on the candidates in contention. But when the time comes, he'll welcome him with open arms.

"Heck, no. I ain't got time to do the homework. That's not my job, that's not my job. I'll leave that to the administration to do that. Whoever we end up picking, if that's the route we choose to go, then I'll do some homework then. But until they give me that person's name, I ain't even worried about it."

This is the right way to go about it. Assessing these prospects is beyond Ekeler's pay grade. What the veteran can do is help him through an important transition, develop immediate chemistry with them in pursuit of hitting the ground running, and continue with his outstanding production since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Western Colorado.

Looking at Ekeler's skill set, he should be the quarterback's best friend in no time at all. But the most important thing above all else is that the Commanders find the right guy to take this franchise into a prosperous era of perennial contention.