Javonte Williams has been a revelation for the Dallas Cowboys. The fifth-year running back has become a key piece of head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s game plan, prompting analysts and fans to call on team owner Jerry Jones to give him a contract extension right now.
Williams joined the Cowboys this offseason from the Broncos. The North Carolina product had a strong rookie year in Denver, but injuries hampered his performance.
Now fully recovered from the torn ACL and LCL he suffered in 2022, Williams is making a positive impact on the Dallas offense. In five games, Williams has 79 carries, 447 yards, and five touchdowns.
Thanks in large part to Williams, the Cowboys have the eighth-best rushing attack in the NFL. Moreover, fans recall that he scored the team’s first touchdown of the season, leaving the front office in a quandary.
Should the Cowboys extend Williams?
Williams will become a free agent after this season, and his numbers have led ESPN analyst Todd Archer to wonder if this is the time for the Cowboys to give him a contract extension.
“The Cowboys have the salary cap space,” Archer explained, noting that the running back is just shy of 26 years old, is already fully recovered from his injuries, and has integrated well into the Cowboys’ locker room.
He admitted that extending a running back’s contract is tricky-as demonstrated by the case of Ezekiel Elliott-but if Jones and the team wait longer, Williams’ price tag could increase toward the end of the season.
As Archer warned, “Williams’ market could be bustling after the season, or he could like being a Cowboy so much that he’s willing to sign up now.”
Javonte Williams’ contract
The former Denver Bronco signed this offseason with the Cowboys for one year and $3.5 million, with $2.5 million guaranteed and $1 million in roster and productivity bonuses.
The team has a franchise tag available, but Archer predicted they’ll likely want to use it on receiver George Pickens. This would leave Williams unprotected.
If Dallas wants to retain its rising star, now is the time. “Everything is a gamble, but at the right price, locking up Williams now makes sense,” Archer said.
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