James White explains why Ezekiel Elliott could have have a ‘huge impact’ with the Patriots
"It will be huge to have that 1-2 punch and spell a guy without having that drop-off."
Ezekiel Elliott has agreed to a deal with the Patriots, making the three-time Pro Bowler the latest addition to the team.
At 28 years old, there are questions about how much Elliott has left in the tank. His decision to come here and back up Rhamondre Stevenson highlights the fact that he’s not the same player he was at the apex of his career.
But, he can still add value and depth at the running back position.
Longtime Patriots running back James White offered his take on the Elliott signing during an interview with Sirius XM on Tuesday morning.
“Rhamondre Stevenson is going to be the lead guy, the bell cow guy,” White said, as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Zeke is a proven veteran. He may not have the 1,500-1,600 rushing yards like his first few years in the league with that Dallas offensive line, but he can still be a very productive back.”
“He’s great in the red zone,” White continued. “So I’m sure they’ll use him in the running game there. He’s great on third down and picking up blitzes, so I think he’ll have a huge impact when it comes to that. I just think it adds depth to the running back room.”
The Patriots’ need for a veteran running back to pair with Stevenson has been evident throughout training camp. Leonard Fournette came to Foxborough for a workout. The Patriots were among the betting favorites to land Dalvin Cook before he signed with the Jets.
Eventually, Bill Belichick decided sign Elliott to a 1-year deal worth up to $6 million. His presence should help keep Rhamondre Stevenson fresh, White explained.
“Rhamondre Stevenson kind of wore down a little bit towards the back half of last season,” White said. “I know he probably wasn’t expecting to play as many snaps as he did once Damien Harris went down for a good portion of the season. He was playing 80-90 percent of the snaps — first, second, and third-down, so it will be huge to have that 1-2 punch and spell a guy without having that drop-off.”
According to Christopher Price of The Boston Globe, the Patriots had been working towards a deal with Elliott for about a month before finally coming to an agreement this week.
“Those are big, powerful, strong, fast guys and that’s what you want in a running back,” White said of Elliott and Stevenson. “I know Bill Belichick has talked about some of the best backs in the league and I know he’s a big fan of Zeke. Whenever we would compete against those guys, he would talk about how much he wanted to have him on the roster.”
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