5 New England Patriots Free Agency Targets
By Liam McKeone
Ezekiel Elliott
We're technically breaking the rules here as Elliott was already on the team and thus this is more of a "re-sign" situation but he really was perfect for what the Pats needed. He signed a one-year deal late in the offseason to spell Rhamondre Stevenson and did just that before stepping up to take a bigger role after Stevenson got injured. He isn't the Elliott of old who won rushing titles and led the NFL in carries, but he still runs hard and remains a threat out of the backfield in the passing game. Nobody is asking for much more from their backup running back.
The Pats should bring him back because he actually seemed like he wanted to be in New England late in the year -- unlike everybody else on the roster -- and he fits a need perfectly. Stevenson is one of the best dual-threat running backs in the game but does tend to get banged up and they don't want his touches to reach ridiculous levels. The veteran leadership combined with the reliability factor when called upon to perform makes Elliott a good fit for the start of the Mayo regime. The obvious risk is if the former All-Pro wants to go win a title, but if he's happy to stay put then the Pats should pony up to keep him.