All eyes will be on Christian Parker and Caleb Downs when Dallas Cowboys training camp kicks off next week. They're the new faces of the defense, but the backup running back battle may be the most intriguing storyline in Oxnard.
A big reason the battle has generated so much intrigue is the growth shown by second-year backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. The former's explosiveness and ability to make defenders miss in the open field make him an ideal complement to Javonte Williams. At the same time, Mafah's bruising running style could give Dallas a punishing one-two punch.
With Blue and Mafah's respective arrows pointing up, veteran Malik Davis has become a forgotten man in the backfield. You can understand fans gravitating toward homegrown RBs, but Davis' ability to contribute on special teams will carry a lot of weight when it's time to finalize the 53-man roster.
The last we saw of Blue and Mafah, they weren't trusted to log carries behind Williams, let alone play on special teams.
Malik Davis has a better chance of making Cowboys' 53-man roster than you think
Over at ESPN, Todd Archer took a stab at predicting the Cowboys' 53-man roster before camp. He kept Blue and Mafah, while Davis missed the cut. That's one possible outcome, but we struggle to envision Dallas keeping two backs who don't contribute on special teams.
Maybe Blue and Mafah have evolved in that regard, but we wouldn't count on it. Davis, meanwhile, operated as the starting personal protector on punt coverage in OTAs and minicamp. He also has experience returning kicks. He's hardly a dynamic return man, but that's another way he adds value that Blue and Mafah currently do not.
The Cowboys are looking for a new special teams captain after longtime ace C.J. Goodwin announced his retirement this offseason. Even though Davis handled 52 carries last season, he managed to play 147 special teams snaps, or 52 percent, per Pro Football Reference.
Conversely, Goodwin logged 388 ST snaps, or 80 percent. That's a lot of snaps to make up. With Additionally, Ryan Flournoy will have a bigger role in the offense. It stands to reason he'll see less work on special teams after logging 133 snaps a season ago.
Conversely, Goodwin accounted for 388 special teams snaps, or 80% of the unit's workload. With Ryan Flournoy's offensive role expected to grow, he'll likely take a step back on special teams after playing 133 snaps last season. Dallas will need someone else to pick up the slack.
It often gets overlooked, but special teams can be the difference between winning and losing. It's fair to wonder if the Cowboys can even afford to cut Davis given the voids they'd have to fill. That's not to say he's a lock to make the 53-man roster, but the notion that Blue and Mafah are ahead of him in the pecking order ignores a crucial part of the equation.
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