91 Buffalo Bills players in 91 days: RB Ray Davis

The Buffalo Bills have relied heavily on the running game during the second half of the 2023 NFL season. That may have been dictated by the weather, since the Bills have played two-thirds of their last nine games in the Northeast or colder climates. More likely, though, it was due to a change in philosophy with then-interim, and now permanent, offensive coordinator Joe Brady at the helm.

Brady appears ready to bring a more balanced offense to the Bills, one that won’t neutralize world-class quarterback Josh Allen, but also won’t force Allen to don a red cape every week for the Bills to win. Thanks to a variety of looks and a commitment to the ground game, the Bills had a lot of success rushing the football in the second half of the season. If the team can continue this success in 2024, it will add another layer to an already powerful offense.

The modern NFL sees most teams deploy a backfield-by-committee approach to their running backs. Gone are the days of the “bell cow” carrying the back 350 times per season, as running backs are now much more likely to carry the rock more in line with half that amount. This means teams need multiple guards to fill various roles on offense.

On today’s edition of “91 Players in 91 Days,” we discuss a rookie looking to fill the role of short-yardage, power guard.

Ray Davis

• Number: 22
• Position: R.B.
• Size weight: 5’8″, 220 pounds
• Age: 24 (25 on 11/11/2024)
• Experience/Project: R; selected by Buffalo in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft
• College: Kentucky
• Acquired: Fourth round draft pick

Financial situation (by Spotrac): Davis signed a four-year rookie contract worth a total of $4,733,188. For the 2024 season, he has a cap hit of $973,297 if he makes the roster. Davis’ deal contains $713,188 in guarantees, and that figure is also the dead cap amount Buffalo will have to carry if he is released.

2023 summary: Davis used his final year of eligibility to transfer from Vanderbilt to Kentucky, and he built on his excellent 2022 campaign to have an even better 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 has earned a place on numerous lists denoting his excellence. He was first team All-SEC according to Phil Steele’s rankings, USA today, and the Associated Press (AP). Sports Illustrated named him second team All-America. Ultimately, the SEC coaches named him Second-Team All-SEC. His seven receiving touchdowns also set a record for a running back in Kentucky history. He played in both the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Davis ran a 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, posted a vertical of 35 inches and a broad jump of 9’11 inches.

Positioning prospects: Davis joins James Cook, Ty Johnson, Darrynton Evans and fellow forward Frank Gore Jr. as the five halfbacks on Buffalo’s roster. Reggie Gilliam is the only full-back.

2024 offseason: Davis is healthy and participating in offseason activities.

Outlook for the 2024 season: What a story Davis. He grew up in foster care because his parents were incarcerated early in his life, says he enjoys being a “light” to children in the foster care system, and has 14 brothers and sisters. While Davis was born in San Francisco, California, he attended a preparatory high school in Pawling, New York, just 60 miles north of New York (and 15 miles from my home here in the Hudson Valley). He then attended Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey for a year after graduating from high school because his grades were not good enough to play Division I football.

After spending his first two college seasons at Temple, he transferred to Vanderbilt before landing at Kentucky. Sure, Davis is an “old” prospect, but given all the obstacles he’s overcome to get to this point, he’s an easy guy to root for, no matter what uniform he wears on Sunday. It’s even easier to have a soft spot for him since he plays for our Bills.

Davis will likely be the second or third running back this season, and his offensive role will likely be situational. Ty Johnson did a good job last season in limited action, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him take most of the carries away from James Cook when the No. 4 needs a break early in the season. However, given that Davis is not only a hard-nosed runner, but is also a good receiver, I think offensive coordinator Joe Brady will find it easy to use Davis on offense as well.

The big problem with rookie running backs is always pass protection. It remains to be seen how Davis will perform in this area, and it will also determine whether he can be trusted with important offensive snaps. I also wouldn’t be shocked to see him lined up in the backfield with Cook, working almost as a fullback-slash-halfback hybrid.

The Bills have plenty of options, but one thing is clear: Davis will be someone who makes the roster, and he’s also likely someone who can relieve Cook and Josh Allen as runners this year.