(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots recently signed Ezekiel Elliott, ending one of the offseason’s biggest running back sagas.
Many around the league wondered about Elliott’s longevity, mainly if he still has enough gas in the tank to still compete.
According to a recent report via NBC Sports Boston, Elliott “looks really, really good” in his first practices with the team.
“He really, really looks good. Looks like a valuable addition.”@tomecurran & @AlbertBreer weigh in on how Ezekiel Elliott looked at practice today & how much he has left in the tank pic.twitter.com/GqNkrLpqug
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 17, 2023
Tom Curran noted his surprises with Elliott, particularly how he “assimilated so quickly” into the Patriots’ offense.
Joining a Bill Bellichick-led team hasn’t been easy, historically.
If Elliott can continue his upward trajectory, growing in this offense, he might have a massive year-one impact.
One of the biggest reasons for this potential impact, as Curran mentions, is a lack of talent behind him on the depth chart.
Rhamondre Stevenson is still projected to be the lead back, with Elliott as his number two.
Curran pointed out that, without Elliott, the team’s running back corps would have been lackluster.
The biggest unknown heading into the 2023 season about the Patriots is their offense.
Mac Jones’ first two seasons haven’t yielded the results the team was looking for when they drafted him.
He’s been inconsistent at times, and analysts continue to ask if he’s the right person to lead this team.
With a questionable quarterback, the next best thing for the Patriots is a strong running game.
If Stevenson and Elliott can provide that, it’ll put less pressure on Jones, and he’ll be able to play looser.
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