The New England Patriots made a splash Monday with a move to shore up their glaring need for depth at running back. The team agreed to a one-year contract with Ezekiel Elliott that comes with a $3 million base salary, a $1 million signing bonus and a chance to earn an additional $2 million via incentives, according to a league source.
Initially, Bill Belichick wanted to see what the team had behind No. 1 running back Rhamondre Stevenson, holding off on offers for Elliott or Dalvin Cook, who is reportedly signing with the New York Jets. But the early returns from the group below Stevenson on the depth chart weren’t great. Ty Montgomery and Pierre Strong are hurt, while Kevin Harris struggled in short-yardage situations.
So Belichick felt the need to act swiftly, and now the 28-year-old Elliott joins the team as it prepares to embark for Green Bay for joint practices with the Packers.
How Elliott fits
Sure, the Patriots needed depth behind Stevenson, and that’s part of the reason Elliott is joining the team. But the main reason it’s Elliott — and not another running back like Cook — is because of how well he complements what the Patriots already have.
They remain very confident in Stevenson. He has a big-play ability that no one else on the team has. Last season, Stevenson ranked seventh in the percentage of his rushes that went for 12 yards or more. But he struggled in short-yardage situations, ranking 28th in third-down conversions and 25th in the percentage of his runs that went for zero or negative yards (among backs with 100 carries, per TruMedia).
Enter Elliott. He thrives where Stevenson struggles. After 1,881 NFL carries, Elliott no longer has the big-play ability that helped make him the league’s leading rusher in 2016 and 2018. But he’s still very effective in short-yardage situations. Last season, he ranked fifth in the percentage of his rushes that went for zero or negative yards. He was also very good in two areas Belichick values. He converted eight of his 11 carries from inside the 3-yard line into touchdowns, and he didn’t fumble once last season.
Here’s how the Patriots’ offense is shaping up 👀 pic.twitter.com/opd6eEhQ9K
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) August 14, 2023
Impact for 2023
This is a meaningful step forward for the Patriots offense. Remember, New England had the league’s worst red zone offense a year ago. Even if Elliott only helps the Patriots improve from inside the opponent’s 5-yard line, that’s still significant.
But Elliott likely has more to provide than that. He’s a willing and capable pass blocker, and he has been effective in the passing game, catching 52 passes in 2020 and 47 in 2021 (before dropping dramatically to 17 last season).
The Patriots’ offense still isn’t likely to be confused for a Pro Bowl squad and Mac Jones’ passing options probably will remain in the bottom half of the league. But Elliott should help take some of the workload off Stevenson’s shoulders and he will be an immediate factor in short-yardage situations.
Even if Elliott only provides depth, he’s doing it at a spot the Patriots badly needed it.
History
Elliott became a star as a sophomore running back at Ohio State, rushing for 1,878 yards in 2014, then 1,821 (in just 13 games) the following year. He had a distinct look with his No. 15 jersey rolled up to show off his abs.
Now, he’s going back to that number. Elliott tweeted that he plans to wear No. 15 with the Patriots, a throwback to his years with the Buckeyes that helped him emerge on the national scene.
After that, Elliott was the No. 4 pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 draft and immediately turned in an incredible rookie season. That year, he averaged 109 rushing yards per game while adding 16 touchdowns. He finished third in MVP voting behind Matt Ryan and Tom Brady.
The Patriots are one of the few teams that have mostly kept Elliott in check. Over two games (one in 2019 and one in 2021), Elliott has rushed for 155 yards on 38 carries without a touchdown against Belichick’s defense.
Cap update
The Patriots entered Monday with around $16 million in cap space, more than enough to fit in Elliott’s new deal.
There aren’t a lot of high-profile veterans still available as free agents, so it’s not clear what the Pats will do with the rest of their cap space. But Monday, they were able to add one of the most accomplished running backs of the last decade.
Outlook
A backup running back who arrives to run between the tackles and find success in short-yardage situations isn’t going to change the over/under total in Las Vegas for Patriots wins this fall. But this is a nice addition for an offense that has struggled at times against Belichick’s defense in training camp.
The arrival of Elliott should be a nice boost to this group and help solidify a backup plan in case Stevenson is injured or slows down.
(Photo: Courtney Culbreath / Getty Images)
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