Ezekiel Elliott Meets With New England Patriots, But Remains Unemployed

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The Dallas Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent seven seasons with the team and racked up over 8,000 yards rushing. But the team released the running back this offseason. And despite meeting with the New England Patriots on Saturday, Elliott remains unsigned.

NFL reporter Jordan Schultz first broke the news of Elliott's visit.

The top running back on the Patriots' depth chart is Rhamondre Stevenson. The third-year back rushed for over 1,000 yards last year.

The team needs depth behind Stevenson, though, as the three RBs listed behind Stevenson (Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris) had just 30 carries combined last season.

At this point in his career, the 28-year-old Elliott is better suited to backup duties. Plus, he's a strong pass blocker, something almost every team is always looking to add.

New England Patriots, like all AFC East teams, interested in adding veteran RB like Ezekiel Elliott or Dalvin Cook

So the New England Patriots interest makes sense. However, the fact Elliott left without a deal is a little telling. Perhaps they are also interested in fellow veteran free agent Dalvin Cook.

Ezekiel Elliott met with the New England Patriots on Saturday but the 28-year-old running back remains an NFL free agent.

Ezekiel Elliott met with the New England Patriots on Saturday but the 28-year-old running back remains an NFL free agent. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Cook, like Elliott will be 28 years old when the season begins. But whereas Cook averaged 4.4 yards per carry last season and ran for 1,173 yards, Elliott averaged just 3.8 yards per rush and didn't crack 900 yards on the ground.

Dalvin Cook met with the Jets this weekend, and the Dolphins are interested, as well. It appears the AFC East is desperately looking to add help in the backfield.

Even the Buffalo Bills have checked in on Dalvin Cook.

The fact that it's nearly August and neither back is signed signals quite a bit about the value of 28-year-old, Pro Bowl running backs on the open market.

With all of the talk about the value of running backs in today's NFL, it's going to be interesting to see where Cook and Elliott eventually land and what kind of contracts they receive.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.