Malik

Davis

It’s the second year in a row Davis has been part of the Cowboys’ final cuts. He returned to make a smattering of regular season appearances in 2023, but it’s super telling that the 25-year-old can’t crack the Cowboys’ backfield plans considering their lack of depth.

Running back Malik Davis was also signed to a reserve/futures contract. The Cowboys signed Bryant to their practice squad midway through the 2023 season but never called him up to the active roster. He was released in January just before the end of the regular season. With Michael Gallup likely being cut for cap reasons, Dallas may be in need of some extra depth at receiver next season. Bryant will look to make a good impression during the offseason program before battling for a roster spot in training camp.

Davis fell behind both Rico Dowdle and rookie Deuce Vaughn and was ultimately waived before Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline. The Cowboys enter the 2023 season with four backs on the roster, which includes undrafted free agent rookie Hunter Luepke. Also waived or released were LB Jabril Cox, DE Isaiah Land, DE Tyrus Wheat, WR Jalen Cropper, WR Dennis Houston, WR Dontario Drummond, WR Tyron Johnson, C Alec Lindstrom, OL Brock Hoffman, TE Seth Green, TE Sean McKeon, CB D’Angelo Mandell, S Sheldrick Redwine, DT Quinton Bohanna, DE Ben Banogu, OT Earl Bostick, CB Josh Butler, LS Trent Sieg, DL Issac Alarcon, WR Jose Barbon, CB Myles Brooks, S Tyler Coyle, TE Princeton Fant, C Matt Farniok, WR Simi Fehoko, DE Durrell Johnson, OT Chuma Edoga, CB C.J. Goodwin, LB Malik Jefferson, QB Will Grier and OT Alex Taylor-Prioleau.

Davis had a chance to earn the backup running back job in camp but lost ground to Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn during the preseason. Davis totaled 224 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown last season, and the Cowboys are interested in re-signing him if he clears waivers, according to Cowboys beat writer Michael Gehlken.

Vaughn’s high point in the night came on his first carry when he shook multiple defenders for a 14-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he couldn’t add to his yardage total on four additional carries and managed just one catch for a one-yard loss. Vaughn worked behind Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle in this one and has now rushed 12 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns and continues to push for regular-season touches.

Dowdle was the Cowboys’ first running back on the field on Saturday and found the end zone on a six-yard pass from Cooper Rush. He averaged a solid 4.8 yards per carry on the evening, with his longest rush coming on a nine-yard scamper on the team’s first drive. Dowdle is looking more and more like the RB2 behind Tony Pollard and is a worthwhile stash in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.

This would leave Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn as the only three running backs on the Cowboys’ roster once camp breaks. As Machota notes in his article, Vaughn’s 8-50-1 rushing line from last week’s preseason game against the Jaguars helped in securing his roster spot, while Dowdle has been running as the RB2 behind Pollard for much of the offseason. With two preseason games yet to go, it’s possible Davis finds a way to stick on the roster, but he could be on the outside looking in heading into Week 1.

It’d be foolish to think Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy haven’t been considering a reunion with Zeke dating back to March when the team said they’d “always keep the door open” for a potential return. The suspension of Ronald Jones gives the Cowboys a legitimate excuse to consider a reunion in a more serious light, although it’s worth pointing out that Jones’ suspension is for a mere two games, and he’s far from a lock to be the RB2 behind Tony Pollard. If the Cowboys are pleased with the work Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn are putting in at camp, it seems unlikely they’d jump at Zeke despite this Jones suspension.

The undrafted second-year back served as the team’s third option at the position his rookie season and appears primed to enter camp as the team’s primary backup to starter Tony Pollard. The 5'10", 210-pound back is well suited to handle a change of pace role, likely leaving passing downs to be split between Pollard and 2023 sixth-round rookie Deuce Vaughn. In all likelihood, Vaughn is looking at a situational gadget role until he can prove capable in pass protection.

He was on the field at times in relief of the injured Tony Pollard, but never touched the ball. Davis ends the 2022 season as the presumptive second-in-line behind Ezekiel Elliott with Pollard an impending free agent. He logged a 38/161/1 rushing line and a 6/63 receiving line in limited work, mostly while Elliott was sidelined in the middle of the season and again in a meaningless Week 17 game. There are scenarios where Davis is technically the starting back for the Cowboys in March, should they release Elliott and not re-sign Pollard. But Davis is probably not a serious threat to fantasy value without better offseason hopium.