Should Cowboys take a chance on former No. 4 overall pick at position of need?

Bringing Ezekiel Elliott back into the fold shows just how desperate the Dallas Cowboys are to upgrade their stable of running backs. That might cause some Dallas fans to want to see their front office double down by adding veteran Leonard Fournette to the mix.

The former No. 4 overall pick has hired the Legend Agency to represent him and help him get signed before the regular season begins. Predictably, everyone associated with the aging back is claiming he's in the "best shape of his career." That certainly wasn't the case in Buffalo last year when Fournette also managed to notch 12 carries in five games.

The possibility of Fournette enjoying a career revival during his age-29 season are pretty low. He might be able to carve out a niche as a short yardage option with a team looking to improve its goal line offense. Expecting him to even split carries with another high-quality rusher is more of a hope than a plan at this stage of Fournette's career.

Cowboys shouldn't be desperate enough to give Leonard Fournette his career revival

The Cowboys need Elliott to fill that void if he's going to provide meaningful value for their offense. Like Fournette, he's already experiencing a sharp age-related decline. Signing Fournette off the street might provide Dallas with some protection against Elliott being completely ineffective, but that would not justify a roster spot on a team with legitimate postseason aspirations.

If GM Jerry Jones and his staff do elect to add another running back to their depth chart they need to focus their attention on a younger option with more upside. It's not impossible to find an unheralded free agent running back who can make an impact on the preseason waiver wire. Fournette does not have the upside that other free agents will possess as the regular season approaches.

The Cowboys like to kick the tires of big name free agents every season but Fournette doesn't have enough gas in the tank to justify anything more than a passing glance. The franchise should be looking for help at running back but the former LSU standout is not the right gamble for Dallas to make.