The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 offseason with one major question. Javonte Williams was coming off his best season, and there were doubts about their ability to meet his potentially steep financial aspirations.
Ultimately, Jerry Jones managed to keep his guy. They got him signed to a three-year, $24 million extension early on in the offseason to ensure their workhorse running back would run it back in year two of the Brian Schottenheimer era.
That move may have gone unnoticed by most, but not by NFL.com's Tom Blair. In his latest column, he tipped his hat to the Cowboys' front office for rewarding one of the greatest running back seasons in franchise history.
The Cowboys need to rely on Javonte Williams
"That wasn't even just the best season of his career -- it was one of the best running back seasons by any Cowboy this century. Since 2000, three Dallas players have logged at least one season with 1,100-plus rushing yards and 10-plus rushing TDs: DeMarco Murray (2014), Ezekiel Elliott (2016 and '19), and Williams. CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Dak Prescott deserve the spotlight, but you don't have to tell Dak how important Williams is to Dallas' success on offense," wrote Blair.
Williams arrived in Arlington with a highlight reel that showed plenty of promise, but there were also reasons to be skeptical. Injuries had derailed his once-promising career, and he had to prove he could stay on the field.
Not only did he do that, but he also turned 252 carries into 1,201 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns (11 rushing). The Cowboys could trust him in crucial moments, and he was instrumental when CeeDee Lamb was out with an injury.
Now, as much as durability concerns may linger, the Cowboys need to double down on that formula. Even if George Pickens is back -- which is still an 'if' -- balancing the offense and establishing the run will be crucial to this team's success.
Dak Prescott has a long history of meltdowns, and putting the ball in his hands with the game on the line has rarely yielded positive results; he needs a reliable running game to take pressure off his shoulders. The Cowboys hadn't had a truly reliable workhorse running back since prime Ezekiel Elliott, and they may have found theirs.
Of course, they should also look to develop the once-promising Jaydon Blue, who played sparingly as a rookie and drew criticism for some concerns about his work ethic. But until proven otherwise, this should be Williams' team.
Even for a somewhat ungrateful market, the Cowboys got a true bargain. Landing Pro-Bowl-caliber play for just $8 million a year is tremendous value for Jerry Jones. Now, he'll have to prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke and that he only needed to be healthy to be one of the most efficient ball-carriers in the game.
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