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.
Background
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.
Contract Status
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.
2026 Projections
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 squad, they always seem to prefer other guys for the 53. That’s because, for as good as he can be carrying the ball, Davis is a weak pass-blocker and doesn’t offer much on special teams. That’s how Dowdle kept beating him in the past, and it continues to be why the Cowboys don’t just hand him a job.
This year doesn’t feel any different. Williams is the bell cow, and Dallas is going to give Blue and Mafah every opportunity to win the backup jobs. Israel Abanikanda, a 2023 fifth-rounder who’s still just 23, may even have a better shot than Davis. The Cowboys, like most teams, will defer to youth and upside as tiebreakers in these roster battles.
Davis’ one shot is to be so clearly better as RB2 that he mitigates the other concerns and blows past the young guys. His performances last year help, as does the way Blue spent most of 2025 in the coaches’ doghouse. But if Blue has matured as both he and Brian Schottenheimer have attested, it’s hard to imagine Davis being demonstrably better. And if he’s not RB2, those same shortcomings in other parts of his game are going to make it hard to keep him in the third spot.
No doubt, many will still be rooting for Malik Davis this summer. And as he always has, he’ll probably show well in preseason games. But we’ve seen how this has played out four years in a row, so it’s hard to predict a different outcome in 2026. Unless he’s developed more skill in the little things, Davis is probably going to find himself among the Cowboys’ final cuts once more.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
RB Israel Abanikanda | S Justin Barron | G T.J. Bass | C Cooper Beebe | G Tyler Booker | S Alijah Clark | DT Tommy Dunn | CB Cobie Durant | OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku | TE Princeton Fant | TE Jake Ferguson | WR Ryan Flournoy | C Matt Hennessy | S Malik Hooker | OLB James Houston | WR Jordan Hudson | LB Shemar James | G Trevor Keegan | CB Derion Kendrick | OLB Isaiah Land | S P.J. Locke | FB Hunter Luepke | RB Phil Mafah | QB Joe Milton III | WR Jonathan Mingo | CB Devin Moore | LB DeMarvion Overshown | TE DJ Rogers | TE Luke Schoonmaker | LS Trent Sieg | WR Anthony Smith | OT Terence Steele | CB Reddy Steward | OT Nate Thomas | S Jalen Thompson | DT Jay Toia | WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling | OLB Tyrus Wheat | RB Javonte Williams | OLB Sam Williams | DT D.J. Withers | S Julius Wood
