The Dallas Cowboys are closing out their 2025 season Sunday, and they may be devoid their top two running backs.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Javonte Williams and Malik Davis are banged up and may not play in Week 18 against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Williams, of course, is the Cowboys’ leading rusher with 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has been dealing with a shoulder injury that held him to just nine carries against the Washington Commanders in Week 17 on Christmas.
Davis took over for Williams, carrying the ball 20 times for 103 yards against Washington.
Brian Schottenheimer: Javonte Williams’ Shoulder Has Been ‘Problematic’
Williams has been a fixture on the Cowboys injury report for the past 3-4 weeks while dealing with both chest and shoulder injuries. When asked about his status against the Giants, Schottenheimer was more transparent than he has been.
“Javonte’s shoulder has been problematic for the last couple weeks,” Schottenheimer said.
Schottenheimer was also asked about Davis, who has emerged as one of the Cowboys’ top backs since Williams began dealing with his messed-up shoulder. Davis has at least eight carries in three straight games and has averaged about five yards per carry over Dallas’ past seven games.
“Both guys are pretty banged up,” Schottenheimer said. “[Davis] is dealing with a couple of things as well.
“Any time you go out and rush for 100 yards in this league in a physical game like he did, [you end up] pretty sore.”
Williams and Davis make up half of the running backs on the Cowboys roster, and they weren’t the only players getting treated in their first day back to practice Monday.
“The training room was pretty full down there today,” Schottenheimer said.
Jaydon Blue May Be Available To Play Against The Giants
Williams has become the Cowboys bell cow back, earning 58% of the team’s carries this season both due to his great rushing ability and a slew of injuries to Jaydon Blue and Miles Sanders.
But if Williams is unable to suit up Sunday, Blue could be in line to draw in for only the fifth game this season. Blue dealt with an ankle injury in training camp, which cost him the first four games, and has been a healthy scratch for the past eight games behind Williams, Davis and third-stringer Hunter Luepke.
But with Williams and Davis each managing injuries, the 2025 fifth-round pick could end up back in the lineup against the Giants, according to Schottenheimer.
“I’d love to get eyes on Jaydon,” Schottenheimer said. “I think the last couple of weeks have been good for him, and he’s practicing harder and better. If he continues down that path, there’s definitely a chance [he could play].”
Blue, who had a standout career over three seasons at the University of Texas, has 22 carries for 65 yards this year. Despite playing only 18% of the Cowboys’ snaps, the 5-9, 196-pound running back still is fourth on the Cowboys in carries this season, behind only Williams, Davis and quarterback Dak Prescott and ranks sixth on the team in rushing yards.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cowboys Get Bad News on Javonte Williams, Malik Davis Injuries Before Finale appeared first on Heavy Sports.