The Cowboys’ backup running back job has turned into the kind of camp battle Dallas wanted: close, messy, and far from settled after about a week and a half of practices.
Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah have both flashed. Both have also had their hiccups. Israel Abanikanda and Malik Davis, with Davis drawing a little less attention than Abanikanda, have also made enough noise with the second-string group to keep this thing very much alive.
That’s why the Cowboys should be careful not to chase a name just because one might become available. Jerry Jones would be smart to stay away from Steelers second-year back Kaleb Johnson, whose stock has dropped hard enough that a cut is now being discussed in Pittsburgh.
Steelers insider Jeff Hathron said on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh that Johnson could be cut because he doesn't contribute at all on special teams (h/t Andrew Fillipponi, 93.7 The Fan).
That matters because Johnson is already buried on the Steelers’ depth chart behind Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren. For a third-string back, special teams work is part of the job, and Johnson hasn’t been able to offer it.
Pittsburgh tried him as a return specialist last year, and it went badly. He’s reportedly been getting reps with the return unit again in training camp, but that doesn’t read like a strong endorsement. It reads like a last look.
The on-field production hasn’t helped his case either. Johnson barely saw the field as a rookie and averaged 2.5 yards on his 28 carries.
Pittsburgh also added to the position this offseason, bringing in Dowdle to replace the departed Kenneth Gainwell. With Johnson still around, the Steelers could have gone with Warren and Johnson as their pair, but clearly they don’t view him as ready for that kind of role.
There’s no question Johnson’s Iowa tape was appealing. The 2025 third-round pick had a college profile that stood out in a loaded running back class. But college flashes don’t always carry over, and Johnson is another reminder of that reality.
For Dallas, the answer is still to keep leaning on Blue and Mafah and let the competition play out. If the Cowboys decide they need outside help, the move shouldn’t be another young back with more questions than answers. The better swing would be on a veteran who knows the system, protects the football, and can hold up in pass protection.
Blue’s burst and receiving ability would add something this offense doesn’t currently have, but that kind of juice is more luxury than necessity. What Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams need most is someone they trust behind Williams.
That player would ideally offer more upside than Malik Davis, who was a useful surprise last season but has a pretty clear ceiling. Johnson, for all the intrigue that comes with his Iowa film, doesn’t look like the right bet for Dallas if Pittsburgh does move on.
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Two weeks into training camp, the Cowboys have already started sorting out some of the bigger questions on a defense that is being reshaped under Christian Parker. After the eighth practice, a handful of players have made early impressions in a good way, with Marist Liufau, T.J. Bass, Sam Howell and Shavon Revel Jr. among those drawing notice as Dallas works through the kind of evaluations that can end up mattering once roster cuts arrive.
The other side of that ledger is just as important, and it has left a few established names with work to do before the team gets into the regular season mindset. Jonathan Mingo and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are among the players trying to strengthen their cases, and the next stretch of camp should help clarify which of these early standouts can turn momentum into real roster security. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Camp Injury Report Brings Relief As One Roster Battle Heats Up
The Cowboys eighth padded practice of training camp brought a small dose of good news on the injury front, with the session ending without any new setbacks. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was added to the report, but he is working with the rehab group, while Jalen Thompson was back on the field in pads after working his way back from a hip flexor injury.
Just as important for the roster picture, the injury list is starting to thin at a few spots, with Jaishawn Barham, Devin Moore and Jonathan Bullard all making progress from groin injuries. That matters because camp is moving deeper into the kind of practices where availability starts to shape the competition, and every healthy body is another chance for a player to separate in a battle that is beginning to tighten. [Read more 🡒]