4 Most Likely Ezekiel Elliott Free Agent Destinations in 2024 Offseason

Ezekiel Elliott's time with the New England Patriots was brief and, for the most part, uneventful.

After spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, Elliott joined the Patriots on a one-year, $6 million contract in August. The 28-year-old rusher appeared in all 17 games (5 starts), tallying 955 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 235 opportunities (184 carries, 51 catches).

But now that the Patriots' season has come to an end, Elliott's future is up in the air. He becomes a free agent as soon as the offseason begins, leaving time to well where he'll continue his career.

Here are four of the most likely Elliott free agent destinations this spring.

Patriots Rumors: Most Likely Ezekiel Elliott Free Agent Destinations

1. Dallas Cowboys

At the end of the day, I wouldn't be surprised if Elliott returned to the team where it all began.

After all, the ex-Ohio State product was one of the faces of the Cowboys franchise during his seven-year stay. He rushed for at least 1,300 yards three times in a Dallas jersey, cementing himself as one of the league's top running backs during the early part of his career.

So, why would the Cowboys want him back? For starters, chances are that Elliott would've remained in Dallas had his release not saved them almost $11 million. In fact, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was open to bringing the RB back to the team as recently as August — just five months after his release.

Additionally, Dallas' ground game wasn't the same without Elliott this season. In 2022, the Cowboys averaged 131.7 rushing yards per game (9th) which dropped to 112.9 (14th) with Tony Pollard as the lead back in 2023. If head coach Mike McCarthy wants to get the rush back on track, reuniting the Pollard-Elliott connection could be key.

With Elliott nearing 30 and likely not having many productive seasons ahead of him, one final hurrah with the Cowboys could be what's in store.