Williams came to Dallas as somewhat of an afterthought last season following a downturn at the end of his time with the Broncos.
A 2021 second-round pick, Williams looked to have the makings of an explosive feature back as a rookie, but a knee injury cut short his ’22 campaign and seemed to sap him of his explosiveness the next two seasons in Denver.
He then signed a one-year, $3 million prove-it deal with his the Cowboys and promptly proceeded to do so. Having rushed for 1,287 yards and seven touchdowns from 2023-24, he nearly eclipsed that rushing total in a single season wearing the star.
Williams rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 TDs — doubling his career rushing TD total — with a career-high 4.8 yards per carry. He also added 35 catches for 137 yards and two more scores, continuing to be a sure-handed outlet as he has his entire career.
His output provided the Cowboys with a balanced offensive attack the team hadn’t enjoyed for several years, making him a valuable piece to lock down heading into 2026.
Still only a few months away from his 26th birthday, Williams comes at a reasonable bargain for Dallas. His $8 million annual average salary places him tied for 16th with the Bears’ D’Andre Swift among running backs — just above former Cowboy Tony Pollard‘s $7.3 million with the Titans.
Now that Williams has been taken care of early, all eyes turn to how the Cowboys approach things with their other big-name free agent: wide receiver George Pickens.
