Blogging The Boys
Malik Davis has been a model of perseverance over the last four years. He shows up ready whenever called upon, even as the Cowboys keep exploring other options at running back. Now entering his fifth offseason with Dallas, Davis is again the underdog fighting for work against younger prospects.
Years in NFL: 4
Acquired by: UDFA (2022)
After five years in a timeshare role at Florida, Davis went undrafted and signed with Dallas. While Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, and Rico Dowdle filled out the depth chart, Davis at least made it onto the practice squad. Though Davis looked good in preseason action, Dowdle’s ability to help on special teams helped him win the roster battle. That October, Dowdle went to IR and Davis was RB3 for the last 12 games. He was sparsely used, finishing with 38 carries for 161 yards and one touchdown.
Despite Elliott’s departure in 2023, Davis didn’t get more work. With Pollard and Dowdle as the new top two, the Cowboys drafted Deuce Vaughn and added Hunter Luepke. Davis did get back on the practice squad and was called up for three games due to injuries, but logged no offensive stats. In 2024, he again lost out on a roster spot and spent the entire year on the practice squad.
Last offseason, Davis was actually released by the Cowboys following the draft. They had just added Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah to go with their earlier veteran signings, Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. Davis spent a few months on the open market, but the Cowboys brought him back about two weeks into training camp. Davis went from his couch to playing in a preseason game the next day, and had 63 yards on just seven carries. The Cowboys kept him for the rest of August, but again ended up on the practice squad.
In early November, with Mafah already on IR and Sanders joining him, Davis started to see action. In the Thanksgiving game, he ripped off a 43-yard touchdown that helped the Cowboys get a huge win over Kansas City. In the Christmas Day game against Washington, Davis had a career day with 103 yards on 20 carries. Showing up when the lights were brightest, Davis earned a lot of new fans and went into 2026 with many clamoring for him to be the new backup.
Years Left: 1
2026 Cap Hit: 1.15 million
Despite his overall tenure, Davis only has two accrued seasons so far in the NFL. He only appeared in three games in 2023, and you need six to get credit for the season. So even after five years, Davis would still only be a restricted free agent in 2027.
Role: Backup RB
Roster Chance: 20%
As much as you want to root for a guy like Davis, it’s hard to see much light at the end of this tunnel. As much as Dallas keeps finding reasons to keep Davis around on the practice...
