Addition of RB Ezekiel Elliott already looks like a solid move for Patriots
Recently signed Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott is making a solid first impression in New England.
"He definitely looked good," longtime Patriots reporter Tom E. Curran said Thursday on NBC Sports Boston's "Arabella Early Edition." "He was smooth coming out of the backfield catching a few passes with the 1s (starters) and turning it upfield in full-contact periods, which is a surprise to me that he assimilated that quickly and was put out there that quickly with the 1s."
New England letting Elliott—who signed a one-year, $6M deal on Monday—work with the starters immediately shows he understands the offense and is ready to accept a significant role.
"One thing you see right away is he's smart," Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien said in a Friday news conference. "He's been in different systems, and he understands football. Maybe they called it apples, and we call it oranges, but it's still football. He gets it; he picks up on it real quick."
Elliott must produce in the Patriots offense to revive his career. Doubts about the 28-year-old linger after he logged a career-low 876 rushing yards in 15 games last season, and Dallas released him in March.
Ideally, the former Pro Bowler will excel in red-zone situations in New England. Elliott rushed for 12 TDs last season, which tied for fifth in the NFL. This is sorely needed for the Patriots, who ranked last in red zone offense in 2022, via The Athletic's Chad Graff.
Plus, he provides needed RB depth behind Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushed for 1,040 yards on 210 attempts in 17 games last season.
While Elliott has lost some of his dynamic playmaking ability, he's still a viable RB2 and could develop into an asset for New England with the right usage.
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