The Dallas Cowboys needed to address their running back room after losing Rico Dowdle to the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Dallas ultimately signed two veteran rushers this offseason and landed two additional RBs in the NFL draft.
With a revamped roster, the team opted to move on from Malik Davis. The 2022 undrafted free agent was released by the Cowboys on Wednesday, per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov on X.
Davis spent five seasons at the University of Florida, racking up 1,470 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 46 games played for the Gators. He signed with Dallas after going undrafted in 2022. Davis started his NFL career on the Cowboys’ practice squad but made his debut with the team during his rookie season.
The Cowboys cut Malik Davis, enter 2025 with four new RBs
Davis ran for 161 yards and scored one touchdown in 12 games with Dallas in his first year as a pro. He added six receptions for 63 yards. However, in his sophomore season he failed to record a touch, spending the majority of the campaign on the practice squad.
While Davis was waived and re-signed by the Cowboys multiple times, he may not get an opportunity to rejoin the practice squad in 2025 as Dallas has added several new running backs.
The Cowboys signed former Denver Broncos rusher Javonte Williams to a one-year, $3.5 million contract this offseason and then doubled down on the position by landing ex-Panthers back Miles Sanders on a one-year, $1.337 million deal. Dallas acquired the two veteran RBs for less than Dowdle’s $6.25 million pact with Carolina.
The Cowboys then turned to the draft to bolster the position. Although the team emerged as a prime candidate to land Ashton Jeanty, Dallas was also linked to UNC’s Omarion Hampton and Ohio State standout TreVeyon Henderson in the lead-up to the draft.
However, the Cowboys ended up waiting on a running back until the fifth round, when they selected Jaydon Blue out of Texas with the 149th pick. Dallas then double dipped, grabbing Clemson’s Phil Mafah two rounds later at 239th overall.
With the new-look running back room, Davis was the odd man out. The Cowboys will enter training camp with four rushers waiting to make their Dallas debuts.
