Ezekiel Elliott came and left Gillette Stadium without a deal with the Patriots this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the visit was a bad one.
The free agent running back remained in town after his visit, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting that Elliott went out to dinner with some players — including quarterback Mac Jones — Saturday night.
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“I’m told the meeting went really well,” Fowler said during “Sportscenter” on Sunday. “He’s in good shape, showed up for the team, had some dinner with some players. This is an option for the Patriots. I’m told there is some love for Zeke Elliott in that building, it’s just a contract situation. He’s wanted a high asking price this summer. With the running back climate the way it is, it’s tough to get that money.”
It’s unclear what kind of contract Elliott is seeking on the open market.
After a day off on Saturday, the Patriots returned to training camp Sunday. Bill Belichick met with the media ahead of practice and was asked about Elliott, but he didn’t offer too much in terms of how everything went.
“I’m going to pass (on commenting) on the guys that aren’t on our team,” Belichick told reporters at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots could use some help in the running back department. And even though Elliott is coming off a career-low 876 rushing yards in 2022 with the Cowboys, he’s still just 28 years old and would help New England address a need on its roster.
Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to New England’s RB1 and is ready to be “the guy” for his team, but adding a running back who’s rushed for at least 850 yards in his seven NFL seasons certainly would bolster the group.
Dalvin Cook is also on New England’s radar, a source confirmed to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, and a visit with the running back is a possibility. They’ve also hosted Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson this month.
