The Dallas Cowboys are signing running back Javonte Williams to a one-year, $3 million contract, according to multiple reports Monday. The deal can reach up to $3.5 million with incentives.
Williams was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He had a dynamic rookie season, rushing for 903 yards and four touchdowns. That included a 111-yard performance against the Cowboys in Week 9.
Williams was a menace after contact, leading the NFL with 31 broken tackles. As a receiver, he recorded 43 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns.
Four weeks into the 2022 campaign, Williams suffered a torn ACL, LCL and posterolateral corner and missed the rest of the season.
Despite the devastating injuries, Williams was able to return to the field. Last season, he rushed for 513 yards and four touchdowns, while hauling in 52 receptions for 346 yards. However, his 3.7 yards per carry underwhelmed.
The 24-year-old will look rebound in Dallas. The Cowboys are not planning to re-sign running back Rico Dowdle, an unrestricted free agent, per The Dallas Morning News. In 2024, Dowdle led the team in carries (235) and rushing yards (1,079).
It would mark the third consecutive season that the Cowboys lost their primary rusher. In 2022, Ezekiel Elliott led the team in carries (231) and was released. In 2023, Tony Pollard was the leader in both carries (252) and rushing yards (1,005), and he departed in free agency, signing with the Tennessee Titans.
–Field Level Media
