Ezekiel Elliott is looking to prove to himself what kind of player he is as he enters his first season with the New England Patriots.

A week after officially signing with the team, Elliott spoke with reporters for the first time on Wednesday. When he was asked about the expectations he had for this season and if he had to prove anything to anyone, Elliott said he's focused on reaching a standard he has set for himself more than what others might have set for him.

“I don’t think anything could put more pressure on me than the expectations I have for myself,” Elliott said. “It’s not really to go out there and prove anything to anyone. But just to go out there and show what type of player I am.”

Elliott is coming off a season in which he put up career-low marks in rushing yards and yards per carry. Still, he provided the Dallas Cowboys with 876 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in his seventh season in the league.

Those numbers, though, weren't good enough to justify the high salary the Cowboys were set to pay him in 2023. So, he was released in March. He remained a free agent for the entire offseason and well into training camp.

Elliott didn't play in the Patriots' preseason game against the Green Bay Packers last week, but he's more than ready to hit the ground running.

“I was kind of at home for a long time, so I’ve got a lot of energy. I think I missed the first 17 practices of camp. So, I thought I definitely should come in, be kind of a little energizer at least,” he said Wednesday. “The transition's been good. I’ve been getting along with the team. I love the coaches, I love the atmosphere, I love this program. I’m just having fun.”

Elliott also believes he's right at home with his new squad.

“I think if you look at my play style and the culture of this team, it's a good match. I think I'm a good fit,” Elliott said.

Now that he has a week of practices under his belt with the Patriots, there's a possibility that he could play in the team's preseason finale on Friday against the Tennessee Titans. Whether his Patriots debut comes in that game or in the regular-season opener on Sept. 10 is unclear, but Elliott just wants to get things going.

“I’m definitely fired up just to be out here to play football,” Ezekiel Elliott said. “Not being signed in the offseason and leading into camp — I’ve been anxious. I’m ready get out there and ball.”