Dallas Cowboys Face RB2 Debate Entering NFL Offseason

The Dallas Cowboys didn't have many issues on offense throughout the 2025-26 NFL season. Dallas finished the campaign ranked in the top-10 in scoring offense, total offense, passing offense, and rushing offense.

That doesn't necessarily mean everything is sunshine and rainbows entering the offseason. There are some crucial moves to make, such as re-signing wide receiver George Pickens and starting running back Javonte Williams, two massive pieces of the success this past year.

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Williams had the most productive season of his professional career after signing with the Cowboys in free agency. At the same time, he missed one game and played through some bumps and bruises.

That makes figuring out the pecking order behind Williams an important task leading up to free agency.

Cowboys' RB2 Debate Something Worth Watching

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue (23) celebrates after scoring the first touchdown of the game, Sunday, January 4, 2026, in East Rutherford. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There are multiple candidates on the roster who could fill the role.

The obvious one is fifth-year running back Malik Davis, who served as the primary backup for much of the season. Davis is a restricted free agent, and the Cowboys should be able to keep him around if they want him back.

Davis put together the best performance of his career in his final outing of the season, racking up 20 carries for 103 yards in the Christmas Day win over the Washington Commanders. He suffered calf and eye injuries that forced him out of the regular-season finale.

Meanwhile, Jaydon Blue saw action in five games during his rookie campaign, rushing 38 times for 129 yards and a touchdown. Blue only averaged 3.4 yards per carry, but could make a leap ahead of his second season in the league.

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Others names to make note of include Miles Sanders, Hunter Luepke, and Phil Mafah.

Sanders is a wildcard to keep an eye on. He entered the season behind Williams on the depth chart but went down with a knee injury in October that forced him onto IR. Sanders rushed 20 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. He also caught all eight of his targets for 30 yards. Williams is an unrestricted free agent.

Luepke did a little bit of everything, slotting in as a versatile weapon. He recorded 16 carries for 71 yards while catching 13 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Luepke is signed through the 2027 season.

The Cowboys selected Mafah in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, a shoulder injury led Mafah to begin the season on IR and he didn't make his debut until the last game of the season. Mafah finished with five carries for 18 yards.

While Davis and Sanders have the edge in experience, Blue and Mafah could blossom with time.

The final decision won't be an easy one but filling out the backfield with capable talent and letting the chips fall where they may gives the Cowboys the best chance of finding an answer behind Williams.

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