The New England Patriots made a rather shocking move by signing Ezekiel Elliott.
That happened in the eleventh hour, just when it seemed like no team was willing to give the former Dallas Cowboys star a chance.
When asked about why he agreed to play for Bill Belichick, Elliott claimed that the Patriots have always been a team that has leaned on their running backs, as they want to put the ball on the ground because they like to have a balanced offense, via the team on Twitter.
Zeke is finally in Foxboro.
1-on-1 with @EzekielElliott. pic.twitter.com/XxKyWVH9b2
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 23, 2023
That’s always been true during Belichick’s tenure in charge of the team, as they’ve usually featured multiple backs with different traits and strengths.
Not so long ago, Elliott was one of the most disruptive forces out of the backfield in the whole league, but that’s water under the bridge now.
Some of his doubters believe he’s lost a step, and that he looks bulkier and slower than during his days with America’s Team.
Also, the Patriots will most likely rely heavily on Rhamondre Stevenson, who was the lone bright spot in the offense last season.
That will leave Zeke as a change-of-pace or third-down back mostly, but they could also use his red-zone expertise to get him some touches near the goal line.
Elliott is living proof of why some teams have been reluctant to give big contract extensions or a lot of guaranteed money to running backs.
But he’ll have a big chip on his shoulder next season, so who knows, maybe he’ll prove his doubters wrong.
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