The 2023 New England Patriots had a season to forget, but free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott was one of the few bright spots on the offense. Signed to be the primary backup for Rhamondre Stevenson, the running back finished the year with 642 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 184 carries to go along with 51 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns.
While the present-day version of Ezekiel Elliott is nothing close to the unstoppable force he was in his younger years, the 2023 season proved that the free agent can still contribute in a supporting role. Due to the physical nature of the position, every team should have at least two reliable running backs, as injuries are an unfortunate part of a tailback’s life.
After spending the vast majority of his career in the NFC East, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes that Ezekiel Elliott could re-join the division as a free agent, but not with the Cowboys. Instead of joining America’s team, Barnwell believes that Elliott would be a perfect complement to Devin Singletary in the New York Giants backfield.
Ezekiel Elliott Linked To New York Giants As A Free Agent
In his article, Barnwell notes that Devin Singletary is a good running back, but he shouldn’t be fully repsonisible for replacing Saquon Barkley. With a weak running back draft class, the Cowboys could use an experienced free agent like Ezekiel Elliott.
“General manager Joe Schoen has already signed Devin Singletary to take over as the team’s lead back from Saquon Barkley. But, there’s little in the cupboard behind the former Bills and Texans back. Elliott is a more physical interior runner than Singletary and can help fill in as a pass-blocker, which is critical for a team that expects to play Daniel Jones under center in 2024.”
Barnwell is mostly correct about Elliott’s current skillset. While age has sapped away his breakaway speed, the 6′-0″, 225-pound running back remains as strong as ever in short-yardage situations. While the ESPN analyst believes Ezekiel Elliott can be a good pass blocker, Pro Football Focus notes that the free agent had a 37.1 pass block grade, well below the league average.
While the New York Giants make sense for Ezekiel Elliott, plenty of other teams should be interested in the current free agent. Nobody is going to make him their unquestioned starter, but he has enough left in his tank to be a valuable part of a committee.
Possible Team Fits
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh wants to build a physical run game, and Ezekiel Elliott is the right free agent to bring that vision to life. While the team already signed Gus Edwards as a free agent, the former undrafted free agent isn’t the type of player who should handle 300 touches per season. Elliott also isn’t that type of player anymore, but these two can combine to form a solid 1-2 punch that could wear down opposing defenses as the game goes on.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys need another running back, and there isn’t a team in the league more familiar with what Ezekiel Elliott could bring to the table as a free agent. With Tony Pollard in Tennessee and no other free agent signed, the Cowboys could bring back their former first-round pick. At the very least, this move would give fans some hope that the team has even the slightest interest in winning football games in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals
It’s a new era for the Cincinnati Bengals, as Joe Mixon is gone and Zack Moss is the presumed starter. Moss played well in relief on Jonathan Taylor, but one season of solid play does not cancel out three years of unremarkable production. Prior to 2023, Moss was nothing more than a replacement-level running back, and players like him tend to regress to the mean. The Bengals are all-in on 2024, so they should sign a free agent like Ezekiel Elliott who can start in the event Moss doesn’t justify his contract.
Carolina Panthers
The Miles Sanders contract was perhaps the worst free agent signing of the 2023 offseason. The running back is too expensive for the Carolina Panthers to cut, but he’s not nearly good enough to be the primary starter for this team. The Panthers have done a solid job of building around Bryce Young, and now they can improve the backfield by signing Ezekiel Elliott to a cheap free agent contract.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara is getting older, Jamaal Williams disappointed in his first year with the Saints, and Kendre Miller didn’t do much of anything as a rookie. Even though the New Orleans Saints have a crowded backfield, they don’t have too many promising playmakers. Kamara and Williams will stick around thanks to their contracts, but if the team doesn’t feel about about Miller, then they could add Ezekiel Elliott to provide some free agent competition.
Main Photo: Mark Konezny – USA Today Sports
