Malik Davis will miss the season after hurting his hip during Friday practice, the Cowboys said. The non-contact outdoor workout at The Star in Frisco was close to a walk-through in intensity. Davis was carted off the field, underwent surgery that night and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Davis had won the No. 2 running back job behind Javonte Williams after competing for it through most of August. His training camp and preseason performances had positioned him to contribute in Sunday’s game against the Giants. Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ chief operating officer, told 105.3 The Fan that the injury was disappointing for both Davis and the team.
Jones said Davis had earned the backup position and that Dallas would have to depend on other players.
Dallas signed veteran Emari Demercado for backfield depth and special-teams help. Israel Abanikanda, who is on the practice squad, also could get more opportunities. The team could bring Abanikanda up for the game or place him on the active roster.
Davis, an undrafted free agent who joined the Cowboys in 2022, backed up Williams last season and had 252 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He appeared in 12 games as a rookie, gaining 161 yards, then spent the next two seasons on the practice squad.
