Malik Davis is out for Sunday’s season opener, and the Dallas Cowboys are bracing for some truly brutal news: he’s looking at missing significant time. This isn’t just a bump or a bruise; executive vice president Stephen Jones dropped the hammer on 105.3 The Fan, calling it a “pretty serious” hip injury that could sideline Davis for a “period of time.” Talk about a gut punch right before Week 1.
The Cart-Off That Changes Everything
The fear started brewing on Friday when Davis was carted off practice. You just know that sinking feeling when you see one of your guys getting wheeled away, especially when it’s days before the first game of the year. Stephen Jones didn’t pull any punches, confirming the severity, though the final details are still pending. He said it himself, “Certainly so disappointed for Malik,” and honestly, who wouldn’t be? This kid put in the work, earned his spot, and now this. It’s an absolutely brutal break for him personally, and yeah, it’s “tough for our team,” as Jones noted. We all know the “next man up” mantra, but sometimes, that next man up is stepping into a seriously messy situation.
Dallas’s RB Room Is Already Scrambling
Here’s the real kicker: Davis wasn’t just some depth guy. He had legitimately won the backup job behind Javonte Williams, and the expectation was for him to play a significant role in the offense. Think about that for a second: a “significant role” gone before a single snap of regular season football. The Cowboys’ initial 53-player roster only had two running backs, Davis and Williams. That tells you how much they were counting on Davis! Now? They had to scramble hard, claiming veteran Emari Demercado off waivers just to get a third back on the roster. And if that wasn’t enough, Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad is now likely getting a call-up for Sunday’s game. It’s a quick pivot from relying on your established backup to hoping waiver wire pickups and practice squad guys can fill a major void. The team could even be “in the market for another veteran running back” which just screams, “we need help, now.” This isn’t how you want to start a season, relying on last-minute additions to shore up a critical position.
What’s Next For Dallas?
So, here we are. The season opener is Sunday, and Malik Davis is sidelined indefinitely. While every other player on the roster had full participation Friday and there are no other injury designations, that’s cold comfort when your running back depth just took such a massive hit. The focus immediately shifts to Javonte Williams handling a bigger load, and whether Demercado and Abanikanda can step up under pressure. It’s a huge question mark hanging over the offense as they head into Week 1. They’ve got to find an answer, and fast, because the season waits for no one.
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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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