NFL Rumors: Patriots Rival Among Teams Ezekiel Elliott Wants To Play For

Ezekiel Elliott has narrowed down his list of teams he’d like to play for, and a Patriots rival was included.

Aaron Rodgers has not been traded to the Jets, as of Thursday afternoon, but it appears the allure of the four-time MVP in New York is enough to entice the 27-year-old running back to join up with the potential Super Bowl contender.

The Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals are the teams Elliott listed of where he would want to play, and he is expected to make a decision by the end of the week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

New York does have Breece Hall, who appeared to be on his way to being an Offensive Rookie of the Year contender until he tore his ACL and meniscus during a Week 7 contest against the Denver Broncos. Elliott would help ease Hall’s load in his second year, and he would add more power to the backfield, too.

The other two teams also are interesting. Dallas Cowboys fans likely are shuddering at the idea of Elliott burning them with their division rival, and the Eagles only signed Rashaad Penny to a one-year deal after letting Miles Sanders leave and sign with the Carolina Panthers.

Philadelphia wasn’t afraid to use a three-headed backfield of Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott last season, so the addition of Elliott would allow him to be used in effective spots without having to carry a huge load.

The Bengals let Samaje Perine walk to sign with the Denver Broncos. The fit with Joe Mixon is an interesting one, but Cincinnati could bring on Elliott to fill in as a pass-protector — a role Perine served during his three seasons with the Bengals.

Elliott has slowed down considerably the last few season, which is a byproduct of the running back position in the NFL, but if used effectively and in short spurts, he still can be valuable to a playoff contender.