If you have read anything about Javonte Williams over the last year, it might make you wonder how this guy is actually an NFL running back. Which is grossly unfair, on a lot of different levels.
William’ competence as an NFL player has been questioned perhaps more than any other peripheral/role player in the league and now, as he enters the 2024 season as the likely starter for the Dallas Cowboys, maybe the tide is turning back the other way.
Maybe … Williams might actually be good?
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton predicts Williams as one of just a handful of running backs poised for a “Breakout Season” in 2025.
“(Williams) could have a career year with the Dallas Cowboys after his production tailed off over the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos,” Moton wrote on July 13. “Williams racked up 1,219 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2021, both of which are his high-water mark to date. In the following season, he tore his ACL, LCL and posterolateral corner. Over the last two years, he’s averaged less than 3.8 yards per carry. Now that he’s multiple years removed from that injury, Williams can claim the lead position in the Cowboys’ wide-open backfield competition and show flashes of the player who accumulated 1,200-plus scrimmage yards before the injuries.”
First Signs Of Hope For Cowboys RBs
Getting any sort of outside positive encouragement — even from a sports writer — has to be looked at as a good thing for the Cowboys and their running backs room.
One of the things that was mostly lost in last year’s disastrous, 7-10 season was running back Rico Dowdle rushed for over 1,069 yards and 2 touchdowns as he averaged 4.6 yards per game.
Somehow, the Cowboys didn’t value that production enough to make an offer that might keep him around and he left for a 1-year, $2.75 million free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers, where he’ll be the backup to Chuba Hubbard and could split RB2 duties with Travis Etienne.
In his place, the Cowboys made a lot of small, uninspiring moves — led by signing Williams to a 1-year, $3 million contract on March 10.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay had Williams on his list of “Stay Away” free agents in the 2025 offseason cycle.
“… Teams should be wary of valuing Williams as a high-level starter,” Kay wrote. “While he flashed promise as a rookie in 2021, he suffered a torn ACL the following season and hasn’t been a consistent ball-carrier since. Williams averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in 2023 and 3.7 yards per carry in 2024. His lack of rushing production can’t be blamed on his supporting cast either, as fellow running back Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estimé both topped 4.0 yards per carry this season.”
Cowboys Added 2 Running Backs in 2025 NFL Draft
The Cowboys didn’t stop with Williams as far as offseason moves at running back. Dallas also signed Miles Sanders to a 1-year, $1.337 million free agent contract on March 14 and added a pair of running backs in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Cowboys drafted Texas running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round (No. 149 overall) and Clemson running back Phil Mafah in the seventh round (No. 239 overall).
