FRISCO — Cowboys running back Javonte Williams will likely garner interest on the free agent market this off-season after setting career highs in carries (230), yards (1,113) and touchdowns (12). It’ll likely be more than last year, when the Denver Broncos, the team that drafted him, made other plans, allowing Williams to become the center of Dallas’ plans for their backfield.
The Cowboys have expressed their interest in retaining Williams.
“I hope he’s a Cowboy for a long time,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Wednesday.
But what about his interest in returning to Dallas?
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Williams said Thursday that he hasn’t really thought about his future much beyond the next three games. He said he wants to finish strong and not look too far down the road.
Williams did, however, give some insight into his current situation in Dallas. He said he’s loved his time here. Based on how coaches and teammates have glowingly talked about him, it’s evident they’ve loved his time in Dallas this season, as well. Williams said that’s meaningful.
“You don’t always want to just follow money and things like that,” said Williams, who signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys that is expected to pay him $3.5 million. “You want to go somewhere where you can succeed and be a part of something that’s special. I feel like it’s very special here.”
Williams has felt that for a while, too. He told The Dallas Morning News earlier this season that his experience in Denver made him doubt his football future. He played well his rookie season, but tore an ACL earlier in his second season. His production the final two seasons in Denver never matched the optimism sparked from the first.
In Dallas, Williams found a team that believed he could return to his old self. This season, he has.
Williams will likely come at a higher price than last year, though. His market value according to Spotrac is an average contract worth $7.2 million per year.
As Williams said on Thursday, however, money isn’t the only thing worth considering in free agency.
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