Javonte Williams and the RB equation in Dallas
javonte williams finished last season with 1, 201 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns and is now a free agent, leaving the team to decide whether to keep the bellcow runner ahead of the March 11 unrestricted free-agent deadline.
Javonte Williams' breakout and the numbers
Signed in last year’s free agency as the first outside addition, the 25-year-old former second-round pick turned what had been expected to be a committee role into a team-leading season. He recorded his first-ever 1, 000-yard rushing campaign (1, 201 yards) and scored 11 rushing touchdowns, a total that nearly doubled the team’s running-back scoring output from the prior year and left him two yards shy of overtaking Christian McCaffrey in that statistical category.
Evaluations of his play show clear, measurable improvement in multiple areas: he blocked, ran downhill as a bully back and also showed quickness and finesse when needed. A national grading service placed him at No. 21 among running backs last season, and market assessments put his annual value at roughly $7. 8 million as teams calculate offers this offseason.
Running-back choices as contracts expire
The roster picture complicates the decision. Malik Davis, who provided explosive spell-duty and largely staved off rookie competition during the season, is a restricted free agent, meaning the team can match any offer he receives. Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah are both in position battles for carries in 2026, and the club must weigh keeping an established starter against promoting younger depth pieces already on the roster.
Rico Dowdle has also returned to unrestricted free agency after a one-year deal elsewhere and produced a breakout season that included a standout performance in a visit to the Queen City. He is listed with a market value estimate near $6. 5 million annually. The front office previously paired low-dollar veteran additions with late-round draft picks and was rewarded by Williams’ production; figuring out whether that approach is repeatable will be central to roster construction.
Next steps and the March 11 deadline
The organization has stated a desire to re-sign javonte williams, but with his contract expired the decision now carries immediate financial and roster consequences. These players will be unrestricted on March 11 unless new deals are finalized beforehand, setting a concrete calendar target for negotiations and any outside offers.
As the team prepares for free agency and offseason roster planning, the central question is whether to invest in keeping a proven 1, 200-yard back who also graded among the better protections and receivers at his position, or to continue a strategy of lower-cost rotation that leans on depth options like Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah and a matched offer for Malik Davis. The next confirmed milestone is March 11, when those contract statuses change and openings in the running-back room will be clarified by moves made on or before that date.
