Running back Ezekiel Elliott signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots ahead of the 2023 season after the Dallas Cowboys released him.

The season has not gone as planned for Elliott, with the Patriots looking like one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2023, and him not being used as much as he would have liked. However, the Patriots’ feature back Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 13, which should see Elliott’s usage increase.

Ezekiel Elliott’s Contract

Elliott’s total contract in New England could be worth up to $6 million, including his salary, bonuses, and if he hits all his incentives. The contract makes Elliott the 22nd-highest-paid running back in 2023, according to Spotrac.

In a breakdown of Eliiott’s contract, OvertheCap reports that the base value of the deal is $3 million and rises if Zeke secures performance incentives. At the time of signing, Elliott was guaranteed $1.1 million.

Elliott’s base salary is $1,550,000 in 2023, while he also received a signing bonus of $600,000. Christopher Price, a Patriots reporter from the Boston Globe, reported that New England had to outbid other teams to secure signing Zeke. The contract means the Patriots have taken on a cap hit of $2.9 million.

The remainder of Elliott’s contract with the Patriots is incredibly incentive-weighted. He will receive $50,000 for every game he is on the active roster. Thus, if Elliott is active for all 17 NFL regular-season games, that will net him an additional $850,000.

Also, in his contract, Elliott can earn more for hitting performance benchmarks. He will earn an extra $300,000 every time he hits 975- scrimmage yards, 1,100 scrimmage yards, 1,225, 1,350, and 1,475 benchmarks. If Elliott is to hit all of those, that would earn him an extra $1.5 million.

Through 12 regular-season games, Elliott has 429 yards and two touchdowns from 112 carries.

Zeke will also get further incentives for his usage in the Patriots’ offense. If he participates in 50% of offensive snaps throughout the season, Elliott will receive $300,000. He’ll receive an extra $300,000 for every 5% increment in offensive usage he receives, earning another $300,000 for 55%, 60%, 65%, and 70%.

OvertheCap estimates that through 12 games, Elliott has taken part in 38.4% of offensive snaps. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that Stevenson’s high ankle sprain is expected to have him miss “a few weeks.”

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With only five weeks left of the regular season and the Patriots struggling in 2023, there’s a chance that Stevenson could miss the rest of the year.

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