Cowboys named best fit to sign one of the UFL's best players and it's so easy to get on board with the idea
Listen, if you're trying to sell me on a nose tackle free agent for the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2024 NFL season, I'll throw dollar bills at you before you even get to mentioning his name.It's a glaring issue on the roster ahead of the season and it is one of the worst units […]
Listen, if you're trying to sell me on a nose tackle free agent for the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2024 NFL season, I'll throw dollar bills at you before you even get to mentioning his name.
It's a glaring issue on the roster ahead of the season and it is one of the worst units in the entire NFL with little experience beyond Osa Odighizuwa and questionable upside following an underwhelming rookie year from Mazi Smith.
That's why I was immediately intrigued by A to Z Sports' own Mike Payton's article outlining the best NFL landing spots for the UFL's six best players. On his list, he included Birmingham Stallions defensive tackle Carlos Davis (not to be confused with Carl Davis, a nose tackle already on the Cowboys roster) and named Dallas as the best landing spot for him.
Davis put up big numbers during the 2024 UFL season, posting seven sacks in his first year since his NFL days, having had brief stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons. Payton described him as a "force" on the Stallions' defense:
Davis was a force in the middle for the Stallions this past season, He showed that he can stop the run, but he also really showed that he can get after the quarterback. Davis finished second in the league with seven sacks. The former seventh-round pick is someone that should definitely be able to find a spot on an NFL roster.
As for why he's a great fit for the Cowboys, well… it isn't rocket science:
The Cowboys are in desperate need of a nose tackle at this point. They just had the weirdest free agency in the league. They decided to do next to nothing and missed their chance to get someone to come in. The team did draft Justin Rogers and Mazi Smith is still in town, but Davis is a guy that could come in and immediately be a rotational player for them.
The reality is the Cowboys are taking on so much risk by betting on the unproven Mazi Smith. If the 2023 first-round pick doesn't level up his game in his second year in the league, there's no one on the roster to turn to. Last year, there was Johnathan Hankins to call upon. Now, it's seventh-round rookie Justin Rogers and career backup Carl Davis, as well as a couple of UDFA rookies. In other words, it's Mazi or bust at nose tackle.
At 312 pounds, Carlos Davis could be a very solid insurance policy based on his play at the UFL. At the very least, taking a flyer on him ahead of training camp would be a savvy move. He produced as a pro, figure out if it translates to facing NFL talent.
The Cowboys are certainly not going to shy away from Davis just because he's a UFL player as they've added KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey in the past and have worked out potential additions this year at cornerback and linebacker.
