Malik Davis took the first handoff of Saturday night in Glendale, ahead of both Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. He finished with five carries for 29 yards, an eight-yard touchdown catch on third down in the red zone and a blitz pickup in pass protection, in a 34-13 Dallas Cowboys win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Davis arrived as an undrafted free agent after the 2022 draft, spent stretches on the practice squad, was released in April 2025 and re-signed that August. He finished last season with 52 carries for 250 yards and two touchdowns over 10 games as the No. 2 back behind Javonte Williams, and ran for more than 100 yards for the first time in his career on Christmas against Washington.
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Malik Davis breaks a tackle against the Houston Texans (USA Today)
Blue led Dallas in rushing on Saturday with 75 yards on 15 carries, work that came after Davis was out of the game and ran into the fourth quarter. Davis had led the Cowboys in the preseason opener at Seattle with seven carries for 39 yards, and after that win Brian Schottenheimer called him a slasher and praised his vision and his understanding of blocking schemes.
Schottenheimer returned to him again on Saturday night.
“I thought he ran hard and we wanted to lean on him early in the 3rd Qtr and see how he did,” Schottenheimer said of Davis. “Had some really nice runs, couple 11, 12 yds. I thought they were really good. He ran physically, which I think is important.”
#DallasCowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer on RB Malik Davis’ performance vs Arizona: “I thought he ran hard and we wanted to lean on him early in the 3rd Qtr and see how he did.. Had some really nice runs, couple 11, 12 yds. I thought they were really good. He ran… pic.twitter.com/cDz7YDBp9s
— The Cowboys Network (@TheCowboysNet) August 23, 2026
Is the RB2 job already Malik Davis’s to lose?
Davis opened the game on a 12-play, 66-yard drive that reached the Arizona 12 before ending on downs. His touchdown came with Joe Milton rolling to his left on third down and needing a target in the red zone. Those are the reps that decide a backup job in a backfield where Dallas has spent the preseason managing Javonte Williams’s workload and the No. 2 back will carry real snaps in September.
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Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis (43) runs against Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
The Cowboys have to be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT on Aug. 30, with waiver claims due at noon the next day. Blue arrived as a fifth-round pick in 2025 and carries the kind of draft investment that usually settles these decisions, and his 75 yards will lead the box score that circulates on Sunday. Dallas closes the preseason at home against New Orleans on Friday.
“Malik is awesome,” offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said. “He’s got great run instincts, he never pouts about reps. He just goes in when it’s his turn and does it good.”
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