Ezekiel Elliott Urges Patriots to Sign Ex Cowboys Teammate: 'One of My Best Friends!'

Running back Ezekiel Elliott is close with offensive tackle La'el Collins from their time with the Dallas Cowboys, and now he wants a reunion with the New England Patriots.

One week into the NFL season, the New England Patriots' offensive line is already a notable concern.

The line was a worry heading into the season, and despite a solid opening performance in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, it is only more of a concern now. That's due to the fact that the entire starting unit is on the injury report prior to Sunday's showdown against the Miami Dolphins. Trent Brown and Sidy Sow missed practice on Thursday, while David Andrews, Mike Enwenu and Cole Strange were all limited.

With the line in tatters, the Patriots are on the lookout for any potential help, and one particularly attractive option is free agent offensive tackle La'el Collins. New England has reportedly shown interest in the former Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys lineman, which is music to the ears for running back Ezekiel Elliott. On Thursday, Elliott, who was teammates with Collins for six seasons in Dallas, urged the Patriots to sign his close friend.

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“I’d love to see LC here,” Elliott told reporters. “LC is one of my best friends. We’re super close. It’d be great to get him up here.”

Collins was widely seen as a top prospect coming out of LSU in 2015, but fell out of the draft completely after legal concerns came to light. He signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent and spent seven years with the team, although he missed the entire 2020 season. In 2022, he signed with the Bengals after the Cowboys released him.

Collins, who has started 86 of the 89 games he played, provides the right mix of skill and experience that could help the Patriots right away.

“LC, he’s a load,” Elliott said. “He loves to get his hands on people. He’s going to punch. He’s going to strike the heck out of you. He’s a vet.”