New England Patriots

New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Oct 17, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) breaks a tackle from New England Patriots defensive back Kyle Dugger (23) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots continue to scour the market for veteran help at the running back position.

And notable veteran help at that, with Ezekiel Elliott the latest name slated to run through a free-agent workout for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, according to multiple reports.

Word of Elliott’s scheduled workout with the Patriots was first reported by Jordan Schultz, and has since been confirmed by multiple reporters both locally on the Patriots beat and nationally.

  • Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) before the wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

    Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) before the wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

    Another high-profile back still looking for work, there still seems to be quite a bit of gas in the tank when it comes to Elliott, as he rushed for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns on 231 carries (3.8 yards per carry), and added 17 catches for 92 yards in 15 games for the Cowboys last season.

    Drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2016, Elliott’s departure from the Cowboys became official back in March, and was really only after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones explained that the organization by all means did not want to ruin their relationship with Elliott by either asking him to take a paycut or a lesser role with the organization.

    Elliott certainly seemed in line for a lesser role with the organization in 2023, too, given the breakout by Tony Pollard, who had served as the No. 2 behind Elliott despite having stronger numbers for large chunks of 2022.

  • Oct 17, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs with ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

    Oct 17, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs with ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)

    At 28 years old, 2022 came with some signs that Elliott no longer possesses the explosiveness that made him the game’s top rusher in 2016 and 2018.

    In fact, his numbers were career-lows across the board.

    But that’s not to say that Elliott is completely washed or wouldn’t be a value-add move for the Patriots, especially with Elliott’s 12 rushing touchdowns ranking fifth among all NFL running backs. (New England’s top threat in that stat, Rhamondre Stevenson, finished with five rushing touchdowns, in case you were curious.)

  • Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) rushes the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half during the wild card game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

    Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) rushes the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half during the wild card game at Raymond James Stadium. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

    In New England, Elliott would serve as either the 1A or 1B on-the-ground threat alongside Stevenson, which at this point in the offseason is almost certain to be the case no matter where he plays in 2023.

    And given the way Stevenson appeared to fade down the stretch (he had just one game of over 60 rushing yards over his final eight games of the season), along with the lack of what you would considered bonafide, rock-solid lock options behind Stevenson, there’s no denying that the Patriots would provide Elliott with a strong opportunity to re-establish himself and show that he still has more to give.

  • Dec 24, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

    Dec 24, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. (Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)

    The Patriots’ interest in getting a look at Elliott also comes on the heels of workouts with Darrell Henderson Jr. and Leonard Fournette, and with reports of Dalvin Cook looking at a potential workout with New England.

    What the Patriots prioritize with a potential partner for Stevenson as the focal point of the ground game will certainly be worth watching, namely when it comes to their pass-catching ability. Stevenson certainly incorporated more of that into his game in 2022 (Stevenson hauled in 69 of his 88 targets for 421 receiving yards), but you can never have enough options on that front, especially when you look back at what a safety valve players like James White were throughout his run as New England’s (for the most part) No. 2 running back.

    Elliott, for what it’s worth, has seen his pass-catching numbers dip every year since 2018. But he has been a notable threat on that front in the past, with three seasons of at least 50 catches and four seasons of at least 300 receiving yards, along with 12 career touchdowns through the air.

  • Jan 8, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) stands on the field during warmups prior to the Cowboys' game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

    Jan 8, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) stands on the field during warmups prior to the Cowboys’ game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports)

    The Patriots opened training camp with four running backs on their roster, with Kevin Harris, Pierre Strong Jr, and JJ Taylor behind Stevenson on the proverbial depth chart.

    The team also has versatile options such as Ty Montgomery and Jalen Hurd, both of whom are listed as wide receivers but have experience playing running back when necessary, on the roster.

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