Patriots reportedly hosting RB Ezekiel Elliott on Saturday
New England could use another weapon to complement emerging star Rhamondre Stevenson.
Ezekiel Elliott is reportedly visiting the Patriots on Saturday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz and several other news outlets.
Elliott, a 28-year-old running back who spent his first seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, is a two-time All-Pro performer. He’s racked up more than 8,000 career rushing yards, though his rushing yards per game have gradually decreased every season he’s been in the league.
This is the first team he’ll visit since the Cowboys released him in March. A return to Dallas isn’t out of the question.
He’s currently a free agent and could pair well alongside Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson. After Stevenson, Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong Jr., and Kevin Harris are next on the depth chart.
Schultz noted that Elliott has “looked terrific” in recent videos he posted of his workouts. He also pointed out that this could affect the “Dalvin Cook derby.” Cook reportedly has “about five suitors” and is visiting with the New York Jets this weekend. At this point in time, the Patriots appear to be in the mix but don’t appear to be frontrunners for Cook.
Cook, who turns 28 in August, is essentially the same age as Elliott. He’s made the Pro Bowl each of the last four seasons as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Patriots also recently hosted 28-year-old Leonard Fournette, who last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There’s certainly a case to be made that Stevenson can handle the workload himself, but adding a proven veteran like Elliott, Cook or Fournette could go a long way to bolster the room as a whole.
Though Stevenson had a strong year in 2022, the Patriots finished 24th overall in rushing yards per game (106.6).
It appears very likely that any of those three players would serve as Stevenson’s backup or sidekick, as opposed to his replacement as the starter.
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