3 Best Value Contracts on the Dallas Cowboys Roster

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

3 Best Value Contracts on the Dallas Cowboys Roster

Originally posted on Inside The Star | By Mark Heaney | Last updated May 10, 2026 11:50 AM ET

With George Pickens expected to play on the franchise tag in 2026, we are unlikely to see any new contracts from the Dallas Cowboys for quite some time.

However, there has been a slew of deals over these past few months, both internal and external, that will shape the team’s cap situation over the next few seasons. Especially as they’ve spent more money recently, we have more to monitor from a success standpoint.

Here, I’ll go over the three contracts currently on the Cowboys’ books that stand out above the rest as good value deals.

1. Javonte Williams’s Recent Extension Looks Great for Cowboys

The Cowboys took a shot on Javonte Williams, the former Broncos star who had struggled following an early-career ACL injury, and it paid off in a big way.

At just 24-years-old, Dallas got him on a ridiculously cheap one-year “prove-it deal” — let’s just say he did quite the job proving it. Williams ran for career highs in rushing and overall looked like the guy we had seen years ago.

Dallas made it a priority to re-up their emerging back this offseason, and they did with a 3-year, $24M deal that is already looking like great value.

The #Cowboys and standout RB Javonte Williams have agreed to terms on a 3-year deal worth $24M, sources say. Dallas keeps a big-time player.

He gets his $8M per year after a breakout season in a deal was done by @AgentNicoleLynn of @KlutchSports. pic.twitter.com/xHTcWxl4VF

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 21, 2026

17 running backs will make more on average than Williams this season, including guys like Alvin Kamara, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Chuba Hubbard. Those guys are fine players, but Williams is both better and cheaper following the Cowboys deal this offseason.

2. Jalen Thompson’s Free Agent Deal Is the Perfect Price for an Emerging Star

Dallas’s big fish in free agency was former Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson, and that contract is one that will age well for the Boys.

At 3-years, $33M, Thompson barely cracks the top-20 for total contract value at his position, despite being an emerging player with sky-high potential under Christian Parker’s brand new defensive scheme.

We’re going to see Thompson play a huge role on the defense this year, and Dallas will be paying him just $11M per season to do it.

Sign me up for that every day of the week, and twice on Sundays this fall.

3. Tyler Smith’s Early-Career Payday Will Work Wonders Long-Term

Lastly, we can’t forget that former first-round pick Tyler Smith is already under a big contract extension at 24-years-old.

The Tulsa alum came into the NFL Draft with that common “raw” tag, but Dallas turned him into something special in a hurry. They rewarded him with a 4-year, $96M extension after the Micah Parsons trade freed up money in 2025.

It’s a lot for a guard, there’s no doubt about that, but the other two guards that are paid higher are two and three years older than Smith is right now; in fact, the next closest 24-year-old comes in at $44M.

In short, Dallas saw a young, dominant player and locked him early before his price skyrocketed some more.

This article first appeared on Inside The Star and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: