Malik Davis’s sudden hip injury has left the Dallas Cowboys thinner at running back than they expected heading into the season, and that shortage has already produced a plausible trade rumor involving the Seattle Seahawks.
Davis was carted off during practice on September 11 and is scheduled for surgery a day later. The team has already placed him on injured reserve, ending any chance he plays in Week 1 and removing him from the active roster for at least four games.
Dallas responded by promoting Israel Abanikanda from the practice squad, a short-term move that suggests the club will first see what it already has before shopping the market.
Even so, the Cowboys still need reliable depth behind their primary backs. That is where Seattle enters the conversation.
Randy Gurzi of Seahawks on SI has floated Emanuel Wilson as a realistic target.
“Seattle might not be incredibly deep at the position either, but they have enough confidence in Jadarian Price and George Holani that they might be willing to move on from Emanuel Wilson,” Gurzi wrote. “There were whispers throughout camp that the former Green Bay Packer wasn’t a lock for the 53-man roster.
“While he made the initial cut, Wilson had just three yards on two attempts in Week 1. Wilson hardly saw any action on offense and had zero snaps on special teams. Ideally, the RB3 would typically help on special teams, but that wasn’t the case with Wilson.”
Wilson’s career numbers are modest but functional: 244 carries for 1,086 yards, 30 receptions for 170 yards, and eight touchdowns across four seasons with Green Bay and Seattle. Those totals will not command a high price.
Gurzi suggested a late Day 3 selection, possibly Dallas’ 2027 sixth-round pick, would be enough to complete a deal. The Seahawks lack incentive to hold him once Zach Charbonnet returns from his knee injury; Wilson’s already limited role would shrink further, making a midseason afterthought more useful as a draft asset than as roster insurance.
Seattle’s willingness to listen also reflects growing comfort with its younger options. Jadarian Price, making his NFL debut in the Week 1 win over New England, ran for 52 yards on 10 carries and drew praise from head coach Mike Macdonald for decisive cuts and ball security despite having no preseason snaps.
That performance, combined with Holani’s presence, gives the Seahawks cover if they decide Wilson is expendable.
Whether Dallas actually pursues the trade remains uncertain. The Cowboys have historically preferred to solve depth issues internally when possible.
Yet Davis’ injury arrived at the worst possible moment, and Wilson represents a low-cost, experienced backup who already knows the league.
If both sides see the same modest value, a quiet swap of a veteran runner for a late-round pick could materialize before the Cowboys’ next game.
