Malik Davis entered training camp as a long shot for the Dallas Cowboys’ 53-man roster. Now, with Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah limited by injuries, the fourth-year running back is back in the conversation for the RB2 job behind Javonte Williams.
That is a notable shift for a player who has had to keep finding his way back onto the field. After the 2022 NFL draft, Davis joined the Cowboys as a UDFA and appeared in 12 games, rushing 38 times for 161 yards and one touchdown. He then spent most of the next two seasons on the outside looking in, going without action in 2023 before being waived and re-signed to the practice squad. Davis remained there for the rest of the 2023 season and throughout the 2024 season.
Even in 2025, the path was not smooth. Davis was waived two times before earning another opportunity on the active roster. Once he got back on the field, he made the most of it. In 10 games in 2025, Davis finished with 52 carries for 250 yards and two touchdowns, a steady return that has kept him in the running for more work.
A chance to prove he belongs
The Cowboys’ offseason backfield talk has mostly centered on Blue and Mafah, but the situation in Oxnard has changed the picture. With both players limited, Davis is expected to compete for the RB2 job this week and could see a heavy workload in the week two preseason game against the Cardinals.
That matters because preseason opportunities often shape the bottom of the roster, especially for a player who was not viewed as a realistic 53-man roster option heading into camp. Davis does not need to be flashy to help his case. The appeal is simpler than that: he has repeatedly earned chances by staying ready and producing when called upon.
That is also why the evaluation around him has started to sound familiar. Blogging The Boys has described what Davis brings to the table as consistency, with the simple idea that “All he does is fix things.” For a back who has moved from waiver wire to practice squad to active roster, that kind of trust can matter.
Williams remains the starter, so the real question is whether Davis can turn this opening into a clearer role behind him. If Blue and Mafah stay limited, the Cardinals game could give Davis the kind of volume that keeps him in the RB2 conversation when roster decisions get tighter.
