Although it was pretty much a meaningless game after already being eliminated from the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys played to win in Week 17 against the Washington Commanders and came through victorious. They may not have succeeded though if it hadn’t been for the surprise performance of Malik Davis, Dallas’ current backup running back.
After Javonte Williams got things started off rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game early with a stinger, Davis stepped in as the starter and had himself a career day on Christmas. He ended up rushing for a total of 103 yards on 20 carries and averaged 5.2 yards per touch. His performance was a big part of the Cowboys victory.
Davis has no doubt paid his dues to get where he is now as the Cowboys backup running back behind Williams. He’s been on and off the Cowboys roster and practice squad since joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2022. He’s even been released multiple times over the years, twice just this season alone. And yet, none of that seemed to discourage him.
Davis’ journey since in the league with the Cowboys is the kind of story we all want to see. He’s fought and clawed his way from being an undrafted free agent to now becoming a key part of Dallas’ offense, all the while not ever really knowing how secure is roster spot is. It’s a testament to his character and work ethic, something we’d love to see more of from his teammates. Maybe it will rub off on them.
No. 43 may have a chance to further prove his worth in the Cowboys regular-season finale next week against the New York Giants if Williams is sidelined with a shoulder injury (stinger). Getting a look at him as starter could help evaluate how the Cowboys brass views the RB position moving forward and potentially give them leverage if they decide to negotiate a contract extension with Williams.
It may come to no surprise, but we’ve seen a story similar to that of Davis’ not long ago. Rico Dowdle also bided his time buried on the depth chart most of his career in Dallas until he finally got his chance as the starter. He went on to rush for 1,079 yards last year, and then turn that into another 1,000-yard season this year with the Carolina Panthers. Maybe now 43 is following a similar path.
It’s difficult to know exactly where Davis stands with the Cowboys moving forward, but at the very least he deserves to be part of the conversation. Whether that is being a valuable depth piece or a potential starter is something that will need to be decided over the offseason, but regardless of which it is he should have an important role with this team next season.
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