Cowboys run game needs more than Javonte

Since Ezekiel Elliott’s mega-extension, the Dallas Cowboys don’t exactly love to spend big at running back. And honestly? It’s hard to blame them. No position in football gets banged up more — and the return on investment rarely justifies the price tag.

That’s why Dallas has leaned into short-term, low-risk deals … and for the most part, it’s worked well enough.

But this year’s move — letting Rico Dowdle walk for $2.8 million, only to sign Javonte Williams for a near-identical amount — has people asking real questions.

Since returning from a multi-ligament knee injury in 2023, Williams has averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and in 2024 recorded the fourth-worst Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt at -0.6. So why make the switch?

Because it’s not all about rushing production. Williams is a more complete back — better as a receiver and, in theory, a more trusted pass protector. But even with Williams’ versatility, the production is still a massive question mark. ...

Especially in the red zone, where Dallas ranked 31st last year.

This move is not without upside, but it’s also not completely up to Javonte. The Cowboys’ real issue hasn’t been the back — it’s been the scheme.

For the past three playoff exits, the Cowboys have averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. They’ve been too predictable. Too easy to prepare for. That’s among the reasons why Mike McCarthy is gone, and it’s why Brian Schottenheimer hired two offensive line coaches to his new staff.

Schottenheimer himself has even mentioned on two different occasions how proud he is that his offenses during his NFL years as a coordinator have led the league in rushing on two different occasions. 

So you can bet it's going to be a huge focus. 

It’s not just about who is in the backfield — it’s about how you run the football. How you stress defenses. How you get them out of a two-high shell.

And unless the Cowboys unlock that piece of the puzzle, any Cowboys running back— not just Javonte, but also Miles Sanders (who our Mike Fisher reports did some good first-team work at OTAs) might be more rotational than revolutionary.

The early reports on Williams are good, as he himself recently said, "I feel completely like myself" for the first time since his injury three years ago. 

If Williams stays healthy and the Cowboys bring a more nuanced rushing attack to the table in 2025, he'll be just fine.