The Bills hope that this fourth-round pick can be the thunder to James Cook’s lightning
The Buffalo Bills leaned heavily on the running game during the second half of the 2023 NFL season. Perhaps that was dictated by the weather, as the Bills played two-thirds of their final nine games in the Northeast or in colder climates. More likely, though, it was due to a shift in philosophy with then-interim, and now permanent, offensive coordinator Joe Brady at the helm.
Brady seems poised to bring a more balanced attack to the Bills, one that doesn’t neuter All-World quarterback Josh Allen, but one that also doesn’t require Allen to don a red cape each week in order for the Bills to win. Thanks to a variety of looks and a commitment to the ground game, the Bills enjoyed a great deal of success rushing the football in the second half of the season. If the team can continue that success in 2024, it adds another layer to an already potent attack.
The modern NFL sees most teams deploy a backfield-by-committee approach to its running backs. Gone are the days of the “bell-cow” back carrying 350 times a season, as running backs now are far more likely to tote the rock more in line with half that amount. That means teams need multiple backs to fill a variety of roles on offense.
In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss a rookie looking to fill the role of the thumping, short-yardage back.
Ray Davis
- Number: 22
- Position: RB
- Height/Weight: 5’8”, 220 pounds
- Age: 24 (25 on 11/11/2024)
- Experience/Draft: R; selected by Buffalo in the fourth round (No. 128 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft
- College: Kentucky
- Acquired: Fourth-round draft choice
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Davis signed a four-year rookie deal worth $4,733,188 overall. For the 2024 season, he carries a cap hit of $973,297 if he makes the roster. Davis’ deal contains $713,188 in guarantees, and that number is also the dead-cap figure Buffalo stands to carry if he’s released.
2023 Recap: Davis used his final year of eligibility to transfer to Kentucky from Vanderbilt, and he built on his excellent 2022 campaign to have an even better year in 2023. Davis was a dynamic threat out of the backfield, rushing 199 times for 1,129 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 33 receptions for 323 yards and seven more scores. For his efforts, Davis earned a place on numerous lists denoting his excellence. He was First-Team All-SEC as ranked by Phil Steele, USA Today, and the Associated Press (AP). Sports Illustrated named him Second-Team All-America. Finally, the SEC coaches named him Second-Team All-SEC. His seven receiving touchdowns set a record for the most by a running back in Kentucky history, as well. He played in both the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Davis ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, displayed a 35” vertical, and a 9’11” broad jump.
Positional outlook: Davis joins James Cook, Ty Johnson, Darrynton Evans, and fellow rookie Frank Gore Jr. as the five halfbacks on Buffalo’s roster. Reggie Gilliam is the lone fullback.
2024 Offseason: Davis is healthy and participating in offseason activities.
2024 Season outlook: What a story Davis is. He grew up in foster care because his parents were incarcerated early in his life, says that he loves being a “light” for children in the foster care system, and has 14 siblings. While Davis was born in San Francisco, CA, he attended a preparatory high school in Pawling, NY, just 60 miles north of New York City (and 15 miles from me here in the Hudson Valley). He then attended Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ for a year after graduating high school because his grades weren’t good enough to play Division I football.
After spending his first two college seasons at Temple, he transferred to Vanderbilt before ultimately landing at Kentucky. Sure, Davis is an “old” prospect, but given all of the obstacles he’s overcome to reach this point, he’s an easy guy to root for regardless of the uniform he wears on Sundays. It’s that much easier to have a soft spot for him given that he’s playing for our Bills.
Davis is likely to be the second or third running back this season, and his role on offense will likely be situational. Ty Johnson did a nice job last season in limited action, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him snatch most of the carries from James Cook when No. 4 needs a breather early in the season. However, given that Davis is not only just a hard-nosed runner, but he’s also a strong receiver, I think that offensive coordinator Joe Brady will find it easy to use Davis on offense, as well.
The big thing with rookie running backs is always pass protection. How Davis will perform in that area is yet to be seen, and it will also dictate whether he’s able to be trusted with significant offensive snaps, as well. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him lined up in the backfield with Cook, either, almost working as a hybrid fullback-slash-halfback.
The Bills have plenty of options, but one thing is clear: Davis is going to be someone who makes the roster, and he’s also likely someone who can take the load off of both Cook and Josh Allen as runners this year.