Ex-Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott signing with Patriots on one-year deal worth up to $6 million

The Patriots have finally added a veteran running back to their stable. On Monday, New England agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott worth up to $6 million, according to NFL Media, and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. As for the specifics of Elliott’s deal, ESPN notes that he has a base salary of $3 million and a $1 million signing bonuses to go along with incentives that can bring the deal to $6 million. 

Elliott also jumped on social media to announce his next move:

This comes a few weeks after Elliott, who is expected to wear No. 15 for the club as a nod to his days at Ohio State, visited New England at the end of the team’s first week of training camp. The back initially left Gillette Stadium without a deal, but the visit, per the Boston Globe, went well and Elliott remained in town heading into Sunday. Elliott’s visit also seemed to include some recruiting on the part of quarterback Mac Jones, who was seen having dinner with him in Boston’s Seaport district on Saturday night.    

Throughout the summer, the Patriots were on the hunt for another experienced player to inject into their backfield alongside third-year runner Rhamondre Stevenson. On top of their intrigue and eventual signing of Elliott, New England also expressed interest in fellow Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook and had the likes of Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson in for visits. The club lost Damien Harris, who was averaging roughly 11.1 touches per game last season, in free agency this offseason and released veteran James Robinson in June. That left the cupboard bare behind Stevenson as second-year backs Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris serve as the next available options on the roster. 

Elliott spent his entire career with Dallas up until he was released by the team back in March. At his height with the Cowboys, the former No. 4 overall pick was arguably the best running back in the NFL but has been on the downslope in recent seasons. Last season, he averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry and 968 yards from scrimmage in 15 games played. 

While he may not be in his prime, Elliott could prove to be extremely valuable to the Patriots, particularly in the red zone. All 12 of Elliott’s rushing touchdowns in 2022 came in the red area while 11 of those came inside the 10-yard line. New England ranked dead last in the NFL in red zone efficiency last year, so Elliott’s knack for end zone could be a missing piece to this revamped offense under new OC Bill O’Brien, while also keeping Stevenson fresh down the stretch.