Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Sign Ezekiel Elliott: Help for Rhamondre Stevenson, Impact on Mac Jones, etc.

Starting point is 00:00:00 The New England Patriots have added both skill and sizzle to their offense by signing ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. But what does it all mean for the Pats? Stick around. You're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Welcome to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. We are a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Starting point is 00:00:51 Subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts to get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I am your host, Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on Twitter, on X, on the Bird app, whatever you happen to be calling it these days, at M-D-A-B-A-T-E

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Starting point is 00:01:33 you are. My unending appreciation to you. Honored, humbled by your support. And Patriots fans, it's not often that the Locked On Patriots Monday mailbag is delayed a day. But fear not, if you're expecting Mailbag Monday, the Count of Murphy Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy, will be here tomorrow on Tuesday to help me find my way through the mailbag. And an amazing mailbag it is. But it's even less often that your New England Patriots combine both practicality and a little sensational sizzle when they make their free agent signings.

Starting point is 00:02:04 But that's exactly what they did on Monday. The Patriots signing running back Ezekiel Elliott to a reported one-year, $6 million contract. That news first reported on Monday afternoon by NFL Network's Ian Rappaport. And as you can imagine, the New England Patriots fan base pretty excited by this one. Now, we know that Zeke had visited the Patriots on a free agent visit back in July. He left New England without signing a contract, but we've learned that the two sides continue to be in constant contact, and a source close to the team confirmed this afternoon

Starting point is 00:02:38 that talks between Elliott and the Pats intensified over the weekend. And you can probably bet that the patriots running game performance in their preseason loss to the texans may have precipitated that that i can't confirm but i can confirm that the two sides did intensify talks over the weekend and wouldn't you know it just minutes after news of zeke signing with the pats hit social media it was reported that free agent running back delvin cook planning to sign a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million with those J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. That's right.

Starting point is 00:03:14 Delvin Cook going to be doing his running with Aaron Rodgers under center in New York, or I should say East Rutherford, New Jersey, if we're being geographically correct. So the arms race heating up in the AFCE, or maybe I should say the legs race, but bottom line, that's a conversation for another day. We're here to talk Ezekiel Elliott today because he is now a New England Patriot. And the three-time All-Pro is not only raising the excitement of Patriots Nation, he might be raising their expectations as well. Now,

Starting point is 00:03:46 over the course of the next day or so, you're going to hear a lot about what the Patriots are getting in Ezekiel Elliott. You're also going to hear a lot about what they're not getting in Ezekiel Elliott, and I'll get into that in just a moment, but let's start with what they are getting because, in my opinion, they're still getting a pretty good running back and Zeke's resume speaks for itself drafted fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 and during his seven seasons down in Big D he was a three-time pro bowler and led the league in rushing yards in 2016 with 1631 yards and then in 2018 again with 1434 yards and played in 103 games with the Cowboys started 102 of those games that he played in and throughout that time accumulating 8,262 yards on the ground

Starting point is 00:04:36 on 1,881 carries with 68 touchdowns and the thing that I really love best about Ezekiel Elliott folks ultra reliable with the ball in his hands. He's only lost 11 fumbles during his time in a Cowboys uniform. When I talk ball security, the easiest way to ingratiate yourself to Bill Belichick is to protect the football. Conversely, the easiest way to get on his bad side is to cough the football up. You're not going to see that with Ezekiel Elliott. Very sure hands, and I am extremely confident that the New England Patriots knew that about Ezekiel Elliott. That was probably one of the big selling points in bringing him to Foxborough. But it's not just all about the rushing or his ball security. Elliott has proven himself to be a pretty good pass catcher throughout his career as well, earning 305 catches for 2,336 yards,

Starting point is 00:05:26 12 of which went for touchdowns. So all in all, Zeke is checking all the statistical boxes, but the question on everyone's mind continues to be, how is this going to help the Patriots? Well, let's take a look specifically how this is going to help Ramondre Stevenson, because even with Elliott signing, Ramondre Stevenson because even with Elliott signing Ramondre Stevenson is still the lead back here in New England I know this is not coming as a revelation to most of you but for some of the casual listeners or maybe those who aren't Patriots fans that are listening to this podcast Ramondre Stevenson is the unquestioned head of this running back core and what they found in Ezekiel Elliott in my opinion anyway

Starting point is 00:06:05 is an archetypal complement to that top option that they have in Ramondre Stevenson let's not forget Ramondre is coming off a career year I know it was the second year but it's still a career year folks in my opinion 1040 yards with five touchdowns averaging five yards per carry in the lead role he also caught 69 passes for 421 yards and one touchdown as a backfield receiver but if we're being honest those totals may have even been a little bit higher the rigors of a demanding workload clearly took their toll on remandre last year caused the statistics to drop a little bit you could see the wear and tear on him as the season wore on. He needed some help.

Starting point is 00:06:46 And unfortunately, Damian Harris was injured more than he was on the field last year. Hopefully, Ezekiel Elliott will be able to provide that type of complementary running that'll give Ramondre a rest here and there. If you're wondering whether or not he's got enough left in the tank to bolster New England's ground game, yeah, I can tell you he definitely does folks and I think he's going to act pretty quickly to quell any of those concerns when he starts seeing the field on a regular basis last season he ran for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns 231 carries he also had 17 catches for 92 yards no touchdown there. And those numbers are not going to necessarily

Starting point is 00:07:25 stand out among the most impressive on his resume. But what does stand out is his triple threat ability. He can run, he can block, and he can receive. And that makes him a key component of the Patriots running game in 2023. Now, for those of you expecting him to be an interchangeable lead back with Ramondre, that's not what Zeke Elliott is going to be here in New England. That's what you're not getting in Ezekiel Elliott. He's no longer going to be the threat he used to be from outside the red zone, and he's not even likely to see the majority of looks as a backfield receiver. But what he is going to be is a solid second option behind Stevenson.

Starting point is 00:08:03 He's a very good blocker, especially on third and long situations. Don't forget, that's an area where the Patriots have struggled, and he's going to grind out the yardage they need inside the 20. That also happens to be an area where the Patriots struggled in recent years. So that's what the Patriots are getting, and that's what the Patriots aren't getting in Ezekiel Elliott and I think the good far outweighs the bad here but if Zeke is not going to be a threat to unseat Ramondre Stevenson meaning that he's not coming in here to threaten Ramondre's position as the lead back what impact will he have on the rest of the team well in just a moment we're going to take a look

Starting point is 00:08:40 at Zeke's impact on Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris, and the rest of the Patriots running back core. And we'll do so when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, August is here, and you know what that means. It means the official start of Fantasy Football Drafting Month.

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Starting point is 00:10:20 your team, folks, meaning your New England Patriots, made a pretty splashy signing on Monday afternoon. Former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is now a member of your New England Patriots backfield. And in the previous segment, we talked a little bit about Ramondre's impressive resume and what it means for him to be running alongside of or just behind Ramondre Stevenson. But we all know that Ramondre is not the only running back in the Patriots stable. They do have a few on this roster. What does it mean for all of them? Guys like Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris. A lot of you out there right now are wondering what type of impact will Zeke Elliott have on all of these rushers? Well, simply put,

Starting point is 00:11:04 I believe this strengthens the bench of the New England Patriots. Zeke and Steven on all of these rushers? Well, simply put, I believe this strengthens the bench of the New England Patriots. Zeke and Stevenson appear poised to form a potent rushing tandem at the top. No one is denying that, but Zeke's arrival in New England is going to have an effect on the other members of the Pats running back depth chart. And we start with Ty Montgomery, who has really acted as a hybrid running back slash receiver this offseason. Let's remember that Ty hasn't practiced with the team since suffering a leg injury during the team's third training camp practice. So right now, it's a possibility that he could begin his season on the physically unable

Starting point is 00:11:38 to perform list. If that happens, the Patriots need insurance, and they got it in a big way today with Ezekiel Elliott. But that being said, even though Z may be able to fill the shoes from a high-profile standpoint, he's not going to be a like-for-like replacement for what Ty Montgomery was. Ty was settling into an offensive option role on third down. He was also settling into a role as the Patriots' backfield receiver. There was also a lot of talk and evidence on the field that he might a role as the Patriots' backfield receiver. There was also a lot of talk

Starting point is 00:12:05 and evidence on the field that he might be used as the team's third Z receiver option. That's the guy that lines up off the line of scrimmage. Now, even though that was only going to be in select packages, this is what the Patriots had in mind for Ty Montgomery. Ezekiel Elliott is a decent pass catcher out of the backfield, but he's not going to align as your third Z receiver. So in that regard, the Patriots will need someone else to step up into that role if Ty Montgomery is not going to be able to go. Of course, if Ty does come back healthy, it's going to mean good things for the Patriots, but it's also going to mean that the Patriots offensive coaching staff has some decisions to make. So keep a sharp eye on this one, folks.

Starting point is 00:12:43 Could get interesting if we see Ty Montgomery back on the field and ready to go by the time the regular season is ready to start. But something else I really like about this signing is that I believe Ezekiel Elliott coming into town is going to allow the Patriots the luxury of developing Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong on their own schedule and allowing them to blossom into the players that we believe they can be. And as we saw Thursday night, folks, and I'm sorry to say this, but it was true, there is still a ways to go for the both of these guys. A lot of promise. I love both of these running backs. I absolutely want each of them on the Patriots roster for as long as possible,

Starting point is 00:13:25 but they do still need some work. Harris, Strong, and J.J. Taylor into the mix on Thursday night against the Houston Texans didn't produce the results we all hoped. Between the three of them, they rushed 20 times for only 44 yards. So the Patriots knew that they had to increase productivity and you bring in someone like a Zeke Elliott to do just that. Because with Elliott in the lineup, the Patriots not only have a runner capable of carrying the offensive load, they also have a leader by example for those younger prospects, like a Pierre Strong, like a Kevin Harris. Strong has the potential to be a significant contributor in their backfield for years to come.

Starting point is 00:14:03 He's that type of runner who we said many times here on Locked On Patriots who can move with ease in between the tackles, but also demonstrate a good amount of patience in finding his seam. Once Pierre Strong is able to find his seam, he's got an above average burst through the lane, and that is something that is really fun to watch. But he needs time to be able to develop it. He also needs a competent offensive line to run behind but that's another story folks we'll get to the offensive line in

Starting point is 00:14:31 due time this week but as for a runner strong has the potential i believe he's on the cusp of finding it but a veteran like ezekiel elliott buying him a little more time to do it really is going to make him a better running back and it's going to do the same thing kevin harris as well harris is that type of straightforward power runner that can provide some short yardage protection especially in the red zone but we did see that he's capable of handling lead back duties when the patriots need to lean on him he saw some reps with the first team offense in training camp and that's going to help him grow as well but much like Pierre Strong there's still a lot left to learn and again Elliott's presence is going to give him that time without putting an awful lot of undue pressure on him and expecting him to perform and take some of the pressure off

Starting point is 00:15:16 of Ramondre Stevenson Elliott is kind of allowing the Patriots running backs to be able to spread out and do what they do best without a lot of undue pressure that actually may be the most valuable quality that he's bringing to the Patriots so bottom line the Patriots runners are going to benefit from having Ezekiel Elliott in the room well most of them because ultimately there are going to be running backs that end up on the cutting room floor and I think this is going to make things harder for guys like J.J. Taylor who unfortunately may be a victim of the numbers game here and also the recently signed former USFL standout C.J. Marable. C.J. was signed over the weekend to add depth to the running back core but conceding Ezekiel Elliott or trying to unseat Pierre Strong or Kevin Harris and even

Starting point is 00:16:04 Ty Montgomery if he's healthy I think is going to be too tall a task for this kid. And again, he may get out there on the field completely surprised and make this decision a lot harder than I think it's going to be right now. But take a look at the Patriots depth chart, and it's going to be tough for him to crack that roster. Now, I will say this. He's got a very good resume behind him. He was a standout during his final collegiate season at Coastal Carolina, earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2020. He finished his college tenure having logged 2,691 yards. That's second all-time in program history, folks. He also caught 84 passes for 703 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.

Starting point is 00:16:42 So he's pretty well revered at Coastal Carolina and for good reason, but his road to the NFL wasn't exactly paved very smoothly. He went undrafted in 2021. Marable did sign a rookie free agent deal with the Chicago Bears. They released him after just two preseason games. And then CJ found his niche in the USFL he was drafted by the Birmingham Stallions and he compiled 925 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries that type of prowess allowed him to help the back-to-back USFL championships in 2022 and in 2023 and he also earned 48 catches for 396 yards and two scoring receptions so again folks an impressive record but he does face an uphill battle and so does J.J. Taylor if I'm playing the guessing game right now I'm saying these two guys are the odd men out but I also believe

Starting point is 00:17:38 that the Patriots are interested in retaining either one or both of these players on the practice squad so once again keep an eye out. But as for that opening day depth chart, it's really starting to take shape. And with that being said, what kind of impact can a full running game have on the passing game, specifically its impact on Mac Jones? Well, folks, we're going to tackle that question when we wrap things up here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, football season is about to kick off, and FanDuel is giving you the chance to win

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Starting point is 00:18:51 That's FanDuel.com slash LockedOn. FanDuel.com slash LockedOn. Patriots fans, thank you once again for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us here on Locked On Patriots and don't forget that Mailbag Monday becomes Mailbag Tuesday as the Count of Murphy Fisto joins me to answer your questions and we have some great ones so don't miss this one folks Mike and Murph coming at you on Tuesday so stay locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast and we continue to dive into Zeke Elliott's decision to join the Patriots. And for the past couple of segments, we've been talking about how he will fit in with

Starting point is 00:19:30 the running backs here on the roster, specifically Ramondre Stevenson and the backups like Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris, CJ Marable, and of course, JJ Taylor. But one of the ways Ezekiel Elliott's presence is going to help most is to facilitate the Patriots passing game. And we assume that passing game is going to be led by quarterback Mac Jones. Maybe the occasional wrinkle thrown in by Malik Cunningham folks. Imagine some of the speed packages they're going to be able to run with Malik Cunningham and with Ezekiel Elliott. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that as well, but we'll stick with Mack right now because what this does for the Patriots, specifically for a Mack Jones offense, is take pressure off of the

Starting point is 00:20:11 quarterback, and that's something that can only lead to good things on the field, and we know that this was a topic of discussion. We know that the Patriots wanted to make sure that a running back like Ezekiel Elliott could help facilitate the offense for Mac Jones. I'm sure this was a topic that was discussed when Mac and Zeke and a few of the other Patriots representatives took him out for a dinner in Boston the day he visited and worked out here with the Patriots. But bottom line, Bill O'Brien's offense is going to benefit from having a running back like Ezekiel Elliott in its stable because this offense is going to look a lot different than it did last year. We're already seeing the seedlings of it in training camps, and you know it when you see it. It's timing-based, predicated on horizontal routes and completions from quick and accurate throws.

Starting point is 00:20:59 The Matt Patricia regime from last year incorporated more zone reads into their repertoire. But if we're talking about Mac Jones, he's at his best when he's leading his receivers under the defense, releasing the ball quickly, and delivering it accurately where only the receiver can get it. He's also very good when using the run to facilitate play action passes. And here's where Ezekiel Elliott's going to make his mark in this offense, folks. So far throughout training camp, Mac Jones has looked especially sharp during his red zone work with the Patriots starting offense. That's quite a change from what we saw last year where Mac struggled in the red zone. Rather than settling for the check down like he did even in his rookie season and definitely

Starting point is 00:21:40 did an awful lot of in 2022, he's using the short game to his advantage he's going to take some shots down the field when the opportunity presents itself but he's basically going to take what the defense is giving him and not only has Mac taken the initiative to make improvements to his game he's also been given a lot more authority at the line of scrimmage and a lot more freedom and with that he's utilizing both the short pass and the run as potential weapons and he's doing that with a lot more comfort and now that Stevenson and Elliott and I guess I can throw Kevin Harris into that mix as well now that he has those three to rely on in red zone drills and in red zone situations you now have multiple running

Starting point is 00:22:23 options that are going to take the pressure off of the pass catchers. That's going to open up an awful lot. All of a sudden, defenses now are going to have to be very careful to guess correctly when determining when the pats are going to run, when they're going to pass, because so many of their weapons are versatile and they can do a number of different things. We heard Nat Judon call the Patriots defenders unicorns earlier this year. Maybe the Patriots have some unicorns on offense that they want to try out a little bit. Zeke Elliott can be a part of that group, folks.

Starting point is 00:22:53 I think he can be a pretty potent weapon in that regard. Let's not forget that during his time with Dallas, Zeke was one of the top red zone and goal line options in the NFL. Even last year, wasn't his best statistical season. But if you look at what he did very well, he led the NFL in red zone rushing attempts with 59. 31 of those came inside the 10-yard line, and 12 of them actually came inside the 5-yard line.

Starting point is 00:23:19 He had 11 touchdowns inside the 20, and he led the NFL with 162 rushing yards in the red zone. So when you look at what he's able to do in that area, Zeke Elliott is going to make that red zone come alive for the New England Patriots. We all know that they were in the bottom tier of red zone teams in 2022, so they really have nowhere to go but up if we're being honest. But if the offensive line can give Max some time, if the pass catchers can get open, and a big part of that is Mike Gusecki getting on the field, that is also a concern, folks, because as you know from the practice reports that were out there, Mike Gusecki left Monday's

Starting point is 00:23:59 practice with an apparent arm injury after an awkward landing on a tackle attempt from Jelani Tavai. We're going to keep monitoring that one here on Locked On Patriots because that could have a significant impact on the Patriots' red zone abilities. But if all things are clicking on all cylinders, everyone's healthy, everyone's playing at their optimal level, that offensive line needs to give the backs the holes they need to make their runs. Mack now has the weapons to make

Starting point is 00:24:25 this offense a lot better than people may think. So there's how Ezekiel Elliott can be a compliment to Mack Jones, or really anyone who's calling signals under center for the Patriots this year, but especially Mack, who really is going to have a much easier time navigating this offense with the weapons he's being given. And in my closing thoughts, in my final analysis, when it comes to Ezekiel Elliott signing with the Patriots, I like the move and I think the Patriots made the right move here. But I will say be very cautious with anointing him as the savior of the offense or that his presence automatically vaults the Patriots into contention for a playoff spot in 2023. I think that's somewhat unfair,

Starting point is 00:25:06 and I think that's pretty significantly unrealistic. However, his abilities on the football field, along with his veteran knowledge, provides the team with a dimension they didn't have even just 24 hours ago. Ezekiel Elliott can change the complexity of this offense, and that can lead to things that maybe the Patriots didn't envision just a few short days ago. Ezekiel Elliott can change the complexity of this offense, and that can lead to things that maybe the Patriots didn't envision just a few short days ago. He will definitely complement Ramondre Stevenson. He will help make life easier for Mac Jones, and he's also going to open up that running back's room in a way they haven't been opened in quite some time. If this all comes to fruition, New England's offense may now be ready to come to life

Starting point is 00:25:47 with a bit more ease than originally expected. And I say ease as in Ezekiel Elliott. Yeah, folks, the pun is intended on that one, and I hope you didn't mind the dad joke. But Elliott is expected to join his Patriots teammates in traveling to Wisconsin on Tuesday as they prepare for joint practices with the Packers on August 16th and 17th.

Starting point is 00:26:09 And the preseason game against Green Bay is going to take place at Lambeau Field on August 19th, this coming Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern. So stay locked into Locked On Patriots for continuing coverage of Zeke's signing and the Patriots' preparation for the Packers all week long. And remember, the Mailbag Monday is going to be back tomorrow here on Locked on Patriots as Thomas Murphy drops by lending his wisdom and counsel and helping us wade through the Locked on Patriots Monday Mailbag on a Tuesday. But in the meantime, folks, thank you once again for making Locked on Patriots

Starting point is 00:26:43 a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Once again, I am Mike DeBate and I remind you to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day everyone and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked On Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Sign Ezekiel Elliott: Help for Rhamondre Stevenson, Impact on Mac Jones, etc.

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