The Dallas Cowboys have already added two veterans to their 2024 RB group, but they could also add a former Buffalo Bills RB. While Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman provide an injection of experience, Dallas is now being named a potential home for veteran RB Leonard Fournette.
Fournette is entering his 8th NFL season after spending the 2023 campaign with the Bills. While the former LSU star’s best years seem to be behind him, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan believes he could be a smart addition for the Cowboys.
“Dallas’ backfield could use some depth in the aftermath of losing Tony Pollard in free agency earlier this offseason. The club did bring back Ezekiel Elliott to give themselves a familiar option, but Zeke shouldn’t be looked at as the same player he was during the bulk of his first stint with the organization,” Sullivan wrote on July 9. “Beyond Elliott, the Cowboys have Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat on the running back depth chart. Not exactly a Murderer’s Row. While Fournette isn’t the same player he once was, he’d provide them a cheap option that raises the backfield’s floor.”
In terms of his experience and value, there may not be a better option for Dallas.
Fournette Joins Up with Bills After Florida Years
Throughout his high school and college years, Fournette was a massive prospect. After taking the southeast by storm at St. Augustine High School, he then dominated at LSU. When it came time for the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him as the 4th overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft.
Almost immediately, Fournette was making an impact. The now-29-year-old ran for 1040 yards as a rookie, scoring 10 total touchdowns. Fournette helped lead Jacksonville to their first playoff appearance in a decade, but that begat struggles in Duval County.
Fournette was banged up the majority of the 2018 campaign, missing half of the season. He rebounded with his best NFL season, totaling 1652 yards from scrimmage in 2019 according to Pro Football Reference.
But Jacksonville was moving on, eventually letting him sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While in Tampa, Fournette won a Super Bowl and developed his “Playoff Lenny” nickname as he scored 6 touchdowns in 6 playoff appearances for the Bucs.
Cowboys Could Cut Elliott?
While Fournette could be an option for Dallas, the idea is that he would work alongside Elliott. However, Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond believes that Elliott could be released before the fall.
“Ezekiel Elliott not making the roster would, by far, be the most surprising outcome of this year’s training camp, but it can’t be wholly dismissed,” on July 8. “While there isn’t another proven back on the roster, $1.6 million in guarantees isn’t enough to guarantee a player a roster spot.”
Drummond’s argument is that the Cowboys don’t have a financial burden to keep Elliott. While that may be true, it’s hard to see how Elliott doesn’t make the squad. The Cowboys RB group is a wide mix of players, but only 1 or 2 will likely be outright better than Elliott.
If the Cowboys cut Elliott, that will be representative of a much bigger problem than the RB position.
