It was revealed earlier this week in the end of the season news conference that the Dallas Cowboys have started contract negotiations with running back Javonte Williams. Jerry Jones and Company have made it pretty clear Williams is a priority to re-sign, and getting a jumpstart on contract negotiations so quickly is a good sign both parties can come together to agree upon terms.
Odds are, the Cowboys willingness to quickly start negotiation with Williams’ reps so early after the end of the season will equate to a long-term extension. But, there remains the possibility that for whatever reason both parties are unable to work things out. That means the Cowboys would have to look elsewhere, whether it be in free agency for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
Considering the Cowboys don’t have a second- or third-round pick this year, and the fact the 2026 RB draft class seems to be a weak one, Dallas may need to explore the RB market in free agency if they need to find a replacement for Javonte Williams. Fortunately for them, there are a number of options who could pique their interest and a few who could quite possibly be upgrades.
Above is a list of 10 of the top free agent running backs who could be of interest to the Dallas Cowboys if for whatever reason contract negotiations fall through with Javonte Williams. This is an intriguing group of RBs with varying degrees of success and skill sets. Several of them already have 1,000-yard rushing seasons under their belt and nearly all of them are RB1 material.
If Dallas is looking to add a little more juice to the backfield at the RB1 position, players like Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, and Isah Pacheco all possess that 4.3 breakaway speed and Travis Etienne isn’t far behind them. If they are looking for someone similar to what they had in Williams, players like Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Brian Robinson, and Tyler Allgeier make sense. It really just depends on what exactly they’re looking for.
Hopefully, contract negotiations between the Cowboys and Williams’ representatives go smoothly so that everything can be finalized as quickly as possible. However, it’s never a bad idea to have a Plan B in place just in case.