UPDATE: Dallas Cowboys Sign RB Tyler Goodson Off Falcons Practice Squad
The Dallas Cowboys have made a move to shore up their running back depth following a season-opening loss, signing Tyler Goodson off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad, the team announced Tuesday.
The signing comes after the Cowboys lost running back Malik Davis to a season-ending hip injury suffered during a Friday practice leading up to their Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants. Davis underwent surgery that will end his season before it began, leaving Dallas thin behind starter Javonte Williams.
To make room on the 53-man active roster, Dallas waived running back Israel Abanikanda, a fifth-round pick by the New York Jets in 2023 who had been elevated from the practice squad just days earlier.
Goodson, a 25-year-old Iowa product, brings a blend of special teams experience and offensive versatility to Dallas. Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 197 pounds, Goodson has appeared in 33 career games with one start, all with the Indianapolis Colts from 2023 to 2025. He has rushed 54 times for 264 yards and one touchdown while catching 19 passes for 103 yards and another score.
His most productive campaign came in 2024, when he recorded career highs with 153 rushing yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, adding 61 receiving yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions across 16 contests. However, his role diminished significantly in 2025, as he finished with just nine carries for 24 yards and two receptions for eight yards in 11 games.
Where Goodson is expected to make his most immediate impact is on special teams. The former Hawkeye has logged 306 career special teams snaps, including 11 kick returns for 297 yards. His 4.42 speed makes him a threat in the return game and on coverage units. Offensively, Goodson is regarded as a capable pass-catcher who is better at running by defenders than through them, though his pass protection remains a work in progress.
Goodson originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers in 2022 before landing with Indianapolis, where he saw all of his regular-season action. He spent the 2026 offseason with Atlanta, where he was buried on the depth chart behind Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr..
The signing reflects Dallas’ urgency to stabilize a running back room that has been in flux throughout the offseason. The Cowboys waived 2025 fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah during final roster cuts, leaving Williams and Davis as the only true running backs on the initial 53-man roster. Dallas then claimed Emari Demercado off waivers from Arizona, and he served as the RB2 in Week 1, rushing twice for seven yards.
The Cowboys also elevated Abanikanda from the practice squad to replace Davis on the active roster, but his tenure proved brief. By waiving Abanikanda and adding Goodson, Dallas is betting on the veteran’s experience and special teams value over Abanikanda’s potential.
The timing of the move is notable, as Dallas prepares to host the Washington Commanders on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Both teams enter the matchup at 0-1, with the Cowboys coming off a 28-20 loss to the Giants in which the offense managed just 175 passing yards from Dak Prescott and struggled to establish consistency on the ground.
While the Cowboys’ starting running back position remains firmly in Williams’ hands — he totaled 72 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in Week 1 — the addition of Goodson provides insurance and competition for snaps behind him.
Goodson’s familiarity with the NFC landscape and his special teams background should allow him to contribute quickly. Whether he can carve out a meaningful offensive role remains to be seen, but for a Cowboys team searching for answers after an 0-1 start, the addition represents a low-risk bet on a player with proven NFL experience and a clear path to immediate playing time on coverage and return units.
