Three-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott has signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots worth $4 million, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the move, said the contract can be worth up to $6 million with incentives.
The 28-year-old Elliott ran for 68 touchdowns and more than 8,000 yards in seven years with the Dallas Cowboys. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2016, when he was the runner-up for the AP Rookie of the Year award, and again in 2018.
He also has more than 2,300 receiving yards, and 12 TD catches.
Elliott’s yards per game have gone down every season of his career, a trend that partly reflects the decreased usage of running backs in the NFL since the Cowboys used the No. 4 overall draft pick to select him in 2016. Under coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been especially disdainful of the load-carrying rusher, winning Super Bowls in the past decade with more versatile, role-playing running backs like Sony Michel, Jonas Gray and James White.
At this point in his career, Elliott is expected to provide the team with depth behind Rhamondre Stevenson, who is in his third year with the team.
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