The Dallas Cowboys' season has been an up-and-down experience, but their offense has remained sturdy throughout the year. The passing attack has been dynamic, and the ground game, headlined by Javonte Williams, has been great to watch.
Williams made himself a ton of money this season, and owner Jerry Jones made it clear that he wants him around for the long haul. During his Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones expressed his desire for Williams to come back in 2026.
"I love the way he brings the wood, so to speak, when he runs. So looking forward to hopefully him being a Cowboy for a time to come," Jones said, in an apparent reference to his Arkansas Razorbacks.
Jerry Jones Wants Javonte Williams Back in Dallas for the 2026 Campaign
Williams came to Dallas on a one-year, $3 million prove-it deal after spending four years with the Denver Broncos. While he flashed there, he put it all together with the Cowboys. After 14 games, he's posted career-highs in carries (230), rushing yards (1,113), and rushing touchdowns (10).
Having receivers like CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens with Dak Prescott as the signal caller makes everything easier for the ground game, but Williams' production can't be overlooked. Of course, the Cowboys have other players who need to be extended, with Pickens being at the top of the list. Nonetheless, the depth chart behind Williams makes it clear how important he is to Dallas.
Dak Prescott is the second leading rusher on the team (140) entering this week, as Malik Davis, Miles Sanders, and Jaydon Blue have combined for 306 rushing yards. That's nowhere near enough, as they don't even have a capable RB2 in the wings. If the Cowboys let Williams walk, it'll just open up another hole on this team.
More often than not, it's not worth it to create headaches for your own team, and that should be the approach in Dallas. The offense that's currently constructed has terrific firepower, and the front office needs to find a way to keep it together.
Spotrac lists Williams' market value at $7.2 million and projects that Williams will get a three-year, $21.6 million deal in free agency. That seems more than reasonable, but Dallas has shown it is difficult to deal with when it comes to negotiating new contracts.
For the fans' sake, Jones needs to put his money where his mouth is and keep No. 33 in town. The North Carolina product is still just 25 years old and has plenty of prime years ahead of him.