Cowboys latest addition to terrible RB room spits in face of obvious, better solution

Let's take a look into the Dallas Cowboys running back room, shall we?

Leading the charge into the 2024 season is Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys legend who ran for 8,200 yards and nearly 70 touchdowns with the team. The issue is the Elliott that the Cowboys are trotting out next to Dak Prescott this year isn't the same player that went for 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2016.

This Elliott is now 2,421 touches into his NFL career and the wear and tear on his body has shown. He rushed for a career low in yards, yard per carry, touchdowns and yards per game last season.

Beyond Zeke, they have Rico Dowdle and a few other unproven backs. The running back room is one of the worst overall units in football. They don't have high end potential, and they don't have depth. There's nothing to be excited about on the ground in Dallas.

The team has also signed the veteran running back Dalvin Cook, which is another step in the same direction as Zeke. They did this with better available options out there for the taking.

Dalvin Cook-Cowboys signing comes as Dameon Pierce sits on trade block

Cook is a very similar back to Zeke. He had an incredible peak that left him as one of the best backs in the league, but since leaving Minnesota, he's been terrible. He had 67 carries last season and rushed for a career low 3.2 yards per carry.

Even when he ended up in Baltimore, he couldn't see the field and the Ravens will give a carry to anybody on the roster.

But the Cowboys are still signing him, preferring it to be on the practice squad. But the big question to ask is why?

The Houston Texans could and should deal their backup running back Dameon Pierce in the near future.

Pierce, 24, struggled last season, but he's still a half decade younger than Zeke and Cook. He provides the Cowboys with younger, fresher legs rather than opting to hope that Dalvin Cook can recreate some of his Minnesota magic.

The decision was incredibly questionable, to say the very least. Pierce could likely have been had for very cheap, but the Cowboys opted to be a bit counterproductive in an attempt to create the oldest one-two running back punch in the league.

Five years ago, this duo of Zeke and Dalvin Cook would have given defensive coordinators nightmares for weeks leading up to the game. Now this duo has the chance to turn the Cowboys into a one dimensional, pass only team.