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The Dallas Cowboys reached agreement on a one-year, $3 million deal with free agent running back Javonte Williams , a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. Rico Dowdle , who led the Cowboys with 1,079 rushing yards last season, is a free agent. Williams, a second-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2021, saw his role diminish some over the last two seasons.
He still led the team in carries (139) and rushing yards (513) in 2024, but he also got caught up in a Broncos running game that coach Sean Payton had called frustrating overall with the team unable to find the "right'' rotation among its backs. Editor's Picks Tracking NFL free agency: Live updates on every signing, trade, cut and rumor 8m ESPN staff Williams, 24, had only 12 carries in Denver's last three games, including its playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills . That included a zero-carry game in a Week 17 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals .
Williams was a revelation as a tackle-breaking rookie in 2021, rushing for 903 yards. But in 2022, he suffered a devastating knee injury in a Week 4 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders -- Williams tore multiple ligaments and suffered other damage to the knee, as well -- and while he tirelessly worked to get back on the field, his production has not returned to his rookie level. He's improved each year as a receiver and was one of rookie quarterback Bo Nix 's most reliable targets this past season, when his 52 receptions ranked second on the team.
But as a runner, Williams averaged fewer than 4 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons (3.6 in 2023, 3.7 last season) and some in the league said they had not seen the same explosiveness before or after contact since his injury.
According to NextGen stats, Williams' maximum speed with the ball as he crossed the line of scrimmage last season (15.34 mph) was the slowest among all backs with at least 113 carries. Overall, Williams has 606 carries for 2,394 yards and 11 TDs in his four NFL seasons.
He also has 158 catches for 966 yards and five scores. ESPN's Jeff Legwold contributed to this report..
