the short life span isn't a problem
Harrison Fords age isn't necessarily an issue. If you assume Batty died young due to physically pushing himself as a combat model, you could set the film a year or so after the first, have Deckard as an aged person rapidly going old due to the short life span (not being so active he doesn't just drop dead like Batty), it, would however answer the ambiguity of the unicorn.
Still likely be awful though...