ESPN's Todd Archer writes that there will be a battle for the No. 2 running back role in training camp this summer behind starter Javonte Williams that will consist of Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Malik Davis. Davis won the job a year ago and had a 100-yard game, but he "seems to be something of a forgotten man entering camp." The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of the University of Florida had 52 carries for 250 yards and two touchdowns in his third NFL season in 2025, adding two receptions for 16 yards for the Cowboys. It sounds as though Davis is going to need to step up in camp to hold off both Blue and Mafah. Blue didn't live up to expectations in his rookie campaign, but he has impressed the coaching staff this offseason and can be a difference-maker with his speed. Mafah, a seventh-rounder last year, could also be a dependable depth back. Davis averaged a healthy 4.8 yards in 2025, but he doesn't have any standout traits in the backfield and isn't much of a pass-catcher. Don't automatically assume that he's the handcuff to roster in 2026 if you take Williams
Not every position battle is created equal. Some determine depth, while others could shape the Cowboys’ ceiling in 2026. Let’s analyze some of the position battles that could determine the Cowboys’ fate this season. We know Brian Schottenheimer has declared left tackle an open competition, but it’s hard to believe he isn’t using a motivational technique on Tyler Guyton , so we’re skipping it here. This is the only offensive group on this list, and it’s on here because of the question marks behind Javonte Williams . Williams accounted for 52% of the Cowboys’ rushing attempts last season, 56% of rushing yards and 61% of the Cowboys’ rushing TDs. The term bell-cow is used a lot, but there is no denying how important Williams is not only to the run game, but to the entire offense. The next rusher in 2025 after Williams was Malik Davis , and although he has proven to be a serviceable back, the dropoff in stats is immense. Davis gained 250 yards on 52 carries and scored two touchdowns last season, a 951-yard difference in yards gained and a difference of over 200 attempts. Williams is not going to get 300 carries. Another one of these backs needs to emerge like Davis, Jaydon Blue or Phil Mafah , to not just spell Williams, but bring a different dimension to the run game that complements him. Both the floor and the ceiling for this offense, that was already an exceptional unit in 2025, will be taken to new heights if they get an explosive RB2. It is no secret how bad Dallas’ defense was last year. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus paid for it with his job. Linebacker was one of those positions that was constantly getting exposed. Perpetual missed gap assignments and a lack of speed and athleticism exposed this corps. They were among the reasons Cowboys fans were despondent of the defensive performance in 2025. Now the energy has shifted. Christian Parker’s move to a base 3-4 has insulated the interior linebacker position and afforded the would-be starters, DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters , the opportunity to shine. Outside of those two, the position will be defined by depth. Solid depth will allow Overshown and Winters to stay fresh when they need a spell, without having a huge drop-off. There is also the specter of Overshown’s injuries which means someone needs to be ready to step in. This will all depend on whether the second and third unit can develop. As it stands, Jaishawn Barham , Justin Barron , Shemar James , Curtis Robinson and Langston Patterson are penciled in as the backups behind Winters and Overshown. It’s a safe assumption Barham will be playing all over the line of scrimmage and the second level; his ceiling is high, but he still might be a project. Can Barham and James make enough noise to solidify their standing on the roster? If that happens, the second level that saw so much turbulence last year could finally gel and get the Cowboys the stops they couldn’t last season. Another maligned position group in what was a terrible defense, the cornerback battle will be a contest where multiple positions are up for grabs. The projected starters are DaRon Bland and Cobie Durant. Durant will be trying to establish himself in Dallas as a first-year Cowboy; Bland is trying to bounce back from another injury-riddled season. The Cowboys’ secondary allowed the second-worst defensive passer rating last season, as opposing QBs averaged 109.6; only the Jets were worse, averaging 110. The Cowboys will look to make something out of a healthy mix of veterans like Bland and Durant, along with youngsters like Shavon Revel Jr., Caelen Carson , and Devin Moore. The key here for the cornerbacks is simply improving on what was bottom-of-the-barrel defense from a year ago. With reinforcements along the front seven and help on the back end with Caleb Downs , who will be seeing a ton of action at the nickelback position, this proposition isn’t far-fetched. The corners will be pushed by facing a great Cowboys receiving corps in pr
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Dallas Cowboys training camp is just under a month away, and players will soon report to Oxnard, Calif., to begin their 2026 camp/preseason. That will be a major step on the long journey toward the season, the playoffs and, hopefully in the Cowboys’ case, the Super Bowl. Today we’ll analyze a couple of players, one on each side of the ball, that could surprise in training camp. The running back room beyond Javonte Williams is not settled. The second RB spot is up for grabs, and Phil Mafah could be somebody who breaks through this training camp and separates himself as the best back behind Williams. The second-year pro, who dealt with a nagging shoulder injury much of last season, is healthy and looking to make a sophomore jump. Mafah has the frame, at 6’0” 234 lbs., and running style, downhill and physical, that sets him apart from the rest of the backs on the roster. He could find a niche on this team moving the pile and in short-yardage situations, which is where he scored his first touchdown last season against the Giants, Week 18. But that niche could just be the beginning for Mafah, as he continues to build on an offseason in which he’s put in extra work and stood out at OTAs. He has at least one believer in Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Phil Mafah looked good with his first-team reps, grabbing a touchdown in red zone work,” Harris reported for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Mafah has specifically drawn a lot of praise for his work this offseason, with one source saying he is ‘night-and-day’ different from last year.” For Winters, the story isn’t so much whether he can nab one of the starting ILB spots – he’s basically a shoo-in for that – it’s whether or not he can finally shine and give us more of what he did last year which included a 74-yard interception to the house. The soon-to-be fourth-year pro is looking to break out in a big way. Winters has amassed 155 total tackles over the three previous seasons he spent with the San Francisco 49ers , solid numbers at this point in his career. Obviously, the touchdown alluded to earlier displayed his athleticism, which Dallas could always use more of, and our very own Dan Rogers reported that Winters was the only LB last season, of 80 LBs that made an interception, to eclipse 20mph after the interception. It’s that athleticism and versatility that may have some fans thinking of peak Rolando McClain , who could cover ground, make plays on the ball, and help lead a defensive unit aching to grow. The stars don’t need to align for this to happen; Winters seems primed for a breakout season, and camp should put everybody that hasn’t noticed the potential on alert. Who is you breakout player for the 2026 season?
The Dallas Cowboys are making roster predictions for their 2026 season, with key decisions looming at wide receiver, tight end, and along the offensive line. While CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson are expected to retain their spots, notable cuts like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Luke Schoonmaker are anticipated. Sam Howell is favored for the backup quarterback role over Joe Milton, and Phil Mafah is projected to edge out Malik Davis at running back. Defensive players Reddy Steward and Trikweze Bridges face uncertain futures despite significant playing time last season
The Cowboys are looking to add depth to their roster after minicamp, with a focus on edge rusher and running back positions. Potential additions include veterans like Jadeveon Clowney, and they are also evaluating free agents like Austin Ekeler
It’s been a few years since the Dallas Cowboys went into training camp with a sure thing at running back, but they finally enjoy that luxury again with Javonte Williams in 2026. Fresh off a career-saving season and with a new contract to show for it, Williams looks ready to be RB1 in Dallas for more than just next season. Years in NFL: 5 Acquired by: Free agency (2025) Williams was a high second-round pick, 35th overall, by the Broncos in 2021. While he was the backup to Melvin Gordon for most of that first year, starting only one game, it was a true timeshare arrangement as each got exactly 203 carries. Williams’ solid rookie production totaled 903 rushing yards and four touchdowns, plus another 316 yards and three touchdowns on 43 receptions. In his second year, Williams started the first four games but suffered a major knee injury. Though he returned in 2023 and missed just one game over his next two years in Denver , Williams’ struggled on the field and averaged below 4.0 yards per carry both seasons. He didn’t look like the same player anymore, and it was little surprise that the Broncos did not re-sign him after his rookie contract ended. 2025 was an interesting time to be a free agent running back. The year before, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry had done their best to put some prestige and negotiating power back into the position. But Williams wasn’t in position to benefit from their efforts. He was a classic bargain-bin option, coming off low-performing seasons and with concern that he’d never bounce back from a major injury. The Cowboys, still stinging from the fall of Ezekiel Elliott and a disappointing franchise-tag year from Tony Pollard , weren’t looking to spend big money at RB that offseason. They grabbed Williams quickly in free agency on just a one-year, $3.5 million deal to compete for their open starting job. They also brought in an older veteran, Miles Sanders , and two rookies in Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah for what felt like a very open competition after the draft. Quickly into training camp, it was clear that Williams was running away with the starting job. He was getting the first-team reps in practice and then sat out the preseason. We soon found out why as Williams scored two touchdowns in the opener, setting a pace that would give him eight touchdowns in as many games over the first half of the season. Williams’ big year totals were 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, plus 35 catches for 137 yards a two more scores. He was RB1 through and through, and Dallas locked him into that role going forward with a new contract this offseason. Years Left: 3 2026 Cap Hit: $3.89 million Williams’ deal averages $8 million per year total, but the Cowboys structured the first year to lower his salary and increased the bonus money for some cap relief. With Williams now a 26-year-old back, Dallas probably won’t mess around with his contract too much more to preserve their options in the future. For 2026 at least, if he resumes last year’s level of play, Williams should be a very cap-friendly contributor on offense. Role: Starting RB Roster Chance: 100% Dallas’ open situation for the backup spots at running back is no secret. From Malik Davis to Blue, Mafah, and even Israel Abanikanda , there are multiple viable candidates to fill the depth chart. But the top spot is clearly Williams’ this year. He has the style of a workhorse back, with versatile enough skills as a receiver and blocker to never come off the field unless he needs a breather. The Cowboys will likely find ways to use the backups, especially if Blue emerges as a trustworthy change-of-pace option. They don’t to ride Williams into the dirt, either for a hopeful playoff run now or to keep him viable during the remaining years of his contract. But we fully expect him to still get the lion’s share of the touches, and that should be a positive thing for Dallas’ offense. Check out our previous player profiles from this series: RB Israel [... truncated ...]
Every Cowboys fan knows there’s going to be battle for the backup RB position in this year’s camp, but how many see Israel Abanikanda as one of the contenders? A late addition to last year’s practice squad, Abanikanda may be a more meaningful presence this summer than you think. Years in NFL: 3 Acquired by: Free agency (2025) After a strong college career at Pitt, Abanikanda entered the NFL draft process with the label of an athletically gifted runner, mixing power and speed, but lacking in technique. Considered a mid-round prospect in the 2023 draft class, Abanikanda was taken in the fifth round by the Jets. He survived final cuts but was stuck behind Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook on the depth chart. He only dressed for six games near the end of the season and received just 22 total carries in those limited appearances. It would get worse in 2024. The Jets drafted two more RBs that year, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis , and pushed Abanikanda further down the depth chart. They still kept him on the 53 for three months, though, before finally releasing him in early December. The 49ers claimed Abanikanda off waivers for the final few games of the regular season, but he never got any playing time. San Francisco waived Abanikanda just before the start of its 2025 training camp, but he was claimed by Green Bay . He made it onto the Packers’ practice squad briefly, but was released in early September. He didn’t get a new home until the Cowboys signed him to their practice in late November. He remained there through the season and signed a new deal to stay with Dallas this offseason. Years Left: 2 2026 Cap Hit: 1.08 million While he has zero guaranteed money on the deal, Abanikanda doesn’t have to worry too much about finances working against him in the RB competition. None of Malik Davis , Jaydon Blue , or Phil Mafah have financial entanglements in their contracts, so Dallas can make their decision purely based on performance. Role: Backup RB Roster Chance: 20% Many see the RB2 competition as a two-horse race between Blue and Davis, though some would add Mafah to the list. And there is still a thought that Javonte Williams ’ backup isn’t even on the roster yet, with several veterans still hanging around in free agency. As we’ve seen in recent years with guys like Miles Sanders , Royce Freeman , and Ronald Jones , Dallas has valued experience on the RB depth chart. But Freeman and Jones never played a game for the Cowboys, and Sanders was struggling mightily before he got injured last year. Let’s say Dallas keeps the competition as is. While Davis or Blue gives you a change-of-pace option, neither is built to handle a full workload if Williams were to miss significant time. Mafah may be, but he barely played last year and may need more development. There’s room for someone to break into this group and give the Cowboys something to think about, and there are reasons to think Abanikanda could do it. While he’s been around the NFL for over three years now, Abanikanda is still just 23 years old. He’s just a couple of weeks older than Mafah and three months older than Blue, so he’s still an equally young prospect. His running style more closely resembles Williams’ than either Davis or Blue, perhaps making him a more ideal backup. The key for Abanikanda is if he can show some refinement in his overall game. Despite his size, pass blocking was considered a weakness coming out of college. He’ll need to be better there, and show better ability to read blocks and allow his blocks to develop. We’ve seen how Williams, despite being powerful, displays shiftiness and adapts as the play unfolds in front of him. That will be a key for either Abanikanda or Mafah if they’re going to make it at this level. Abanikanda is certainly not a favorite in this summer’s RB competition, but he’s worth keeping an eye on. He was considered to have starting potential in the class of 2023. He’s admittedly struggled to find a lasting home so far in the NFL,
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Plucked in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, Mafah spent nearly his entire rookie year stashed on IR before getting activated in Week 18 and scoring his first NFL touchdown on only seven touches and 10 offensive snaps. A bruising back out of Clemson, Mafah brings a battering-ram approach with his 234-pound frame, and while he's not going to run past or around many NFL defenders, he can run through them. Javonte Williams returns in 2026 to head the Dallas backfield, but one healthy year doesn't completely erase his checked injury history from his Denver days, and the depth chart behind him lacks reliable, established alternatives. There's a path for Mafah to earn a short-yardage role in the offense, especially if the Cowboys try to reduce the wear and tear on Williams after he handled a career-high 287 touches last season
Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue did very little in his first professional season after the team selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A healthy scratch in 12 games, he totaled only 129 rushing yards as a rookie on a 3.4-yard per carry average, and yet he remains a dynasty hold in all but the shallowest of leagues. With the Cowboys largely focused on defense in what was a weak 2026 NFL Draft for running backs, Blue finds himself in competition with only Malik Davis and 2025 seventh-round pick Phil Mafah for the primary backup spot behind Javonte Williams. With the team committing $16 million in guaranteed money to Williams as part of the three-year extension he signed this offseason, it's evident that he is viewed as a true bellcow, but his injury history brings added value to whoever can earn the backup job. On talent alone, Blue should have an advantage, but Davis looked serviceable in his limited opportunities in 2025, averaging almost five yards per carry and topping 100 yards when given the bulk of the work in a Week 17 win over the Commanders. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB68, Blue is unlikely to make a meaningful fantasy impact, but at only 22 years old and offering an element of speed not possessed by any other back on the roster, he's at least worth holding through training camp in hopes that a pecking order becomes more clearly defined
With the 2026 NFL schedule newly released, what better time to release a way too early 53-man roster prediction for the 2026 Dallas Cowboys. We will break this series up into two parts. First, we will start with the offense. Unlike the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the names projected to make the Cowboys 53-man roster are very familiar names. Let’s take a deep dive into an early projection on what the Cowboys offense could look like in 2026. One of the few positions that could look a little different in 2026 is the quarterback position. While Dak Prescott is cemented into the starting job for his 11th season, what the depth chart looks like behind him could be one of the top story lines on the offensive side of the ball this offseason. As of today, Joe Milton is predicted as the only other quarterback on the roster and the QB2 behind Prescott. Despite his disappointing play in limited regular season reps last season, Milton still has the traits you want to develop in a backup quarterback. The Cowboys signed veteran Sam Howell to a one-year, $2.5-million dollar deal this offseason to provide Milton with some tough offseason competition. This offseason will be huge on deciding who the QB2 will be in Dallas, but as of today, we are sticking with the younger and higher upside option. The running back position in 2026 will feature all familiar faces. While Javonte Williams will return as the Cowboys RB1 (something he did not have at this time last year), how things play out behind him will be a story line this offseason. Despite impressing last season in limited work, Malik Davis is likely a guy to land on the practice squad as of today. The Cowboys have had high hopes for Phil Mafah, and after stashing him on IR for most of the 2025 season, they will likely want Mafah to earn his way onto the roster this offseason during training camp and preseason games. The same can be said for second-year back Jaydon Blue. Blue was projected to play a much larger role in his rookie season, but maturity concerns led him to the inactive list more often than naught last season. Blue is the one running back on this roster that can truly scare defenses with his explosiveness, that alone will likely give him another shot at breaking camp on the Cowboys 53-man roster. Wide receiver is another position on offense that could see some change from 2025 to 2026. While the top four are likely a lock, whether the Cowboys decide to carry five or six wide receivers could depend on how things play out this offseason. For now, we have the Cowboys carrying five receivers, and that final spot will be very competitive. Second-year wideout Traeshon Holden spent his first season on the practice squad after impressing in the 2025 season and making a case for a roster spot. Holden will have to have another big offseason to beat out veterans Jonathan Mingo , Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Tyler Johnson, and 2026 seventh-round pick Anthony Smith. The tight end position will in all likely hood look very similar to how it did last year, with the addition of UDFA Michael Trigg out of Baylor. Despite his struggles, Luke Schoonmaker still has sponsors in the room in Lunda Wells and Brian Schottenheimer, so he will more than likely be back in 2026. Trigg is the most interesting conversation. Based solely on his tape, he was a draftable prospect in this year’s draft, but maturity concerns and multiple incidents at Ole Miss and Baylor had him fall out of the draft. Trigg is dynamic receiving weapon and could provide the Cowboys with more explosive plays from the tight end position that was lacking from the offense in 2025. Similar to tight end and wide receiver, the offensive line in Dallas will look eerily familiar in 2026. The only spot for change is the 10th spot in which free agent addition Matt Hennessy will battle things out with Trevor Keegan . The coaching staff seemed to be high on Keegan after adding him off of waivers last year, but Hennessy’s 24 starts mak
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Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens signed his franchise tag on April 29, and executive vice president Stephen Jones said soon after the team expected Pickens to show up for voluntary work. Monday was the first team workout for the Cowboys since Pickens signed the one-year, $27.3 million deal, and Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Pickens was not present. Nothing is mandatory until June 16, so he can stay away until then without being fined. The Cowboys announced they will not negotiate a long-term deal with Pickens this offseason, and Jones has repeatedly said the team has “zero interest” in trading Pickens. The Cowboys traded for Pickens a year ago, and he led the team in targets (137), catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (eight) in 2025
