4 players the Patriots were right to part ways with this offseason

Ezekiel Elliott

Maybe this is a surprising choice, but not re-signing Ezekiel Elliott was a wise decision by the new regime.

Unlike other players on this list, Elliott contributed to the team in his lone season. Despite the notion that his production had fallen off, which led to the Cowboys releasing him, he showed no signs of slowing down during the 2023 season. In fact, he looked even better than we had seen him in recent years, primarily due to his much more limited offensive usage.

When the running back was signed late in the offseason, it wasn't because the Patriots needed a running back. They had all their chips on Rhamondre Stevenson continuing to carry the torch and were simply looking to add another talented player in the backfield.

Elliott fit that to a T, as one of the premier running backs in the league who was impressive in the passing game as much as he was on the ground. He was coming into New England as the number two guy, which was unfamiliar for the longtime Cowboys starter, and became one of the more reliable weapons for Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe throughout the season.

Despite all the good he brought to the team, it seemed like he still wanted to be the go-to guy in an offense, and he didn't seem to love his time in Foxboro. He has since reunited with the team that drafted him, the Dallas Cowboys, and looks happy to be back and the Patriots are looking good without him, too.

They added Antonio Gibson in free agency, a 25-year-old dual-threat running back with a lot of potential to be a solid addition to the roster.

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