Javonte Williams bet on himself with a one-year deal in Dallas. Additionally, he walks into a situation with a veteran quarterback, electric wideouts, and a strong offensive line. Behind a first-year head coach from a lineage of run-happy sideline leaders, where does the former North Carolina Tar Heel back see the majority of his touches?
What Is Javonte Williams’ NFL Contract?
The Cowboys signed Williams to a one-year, $3 million deal with $1 million due at signing. Overall, it was a sound deal from a team viewpoint. In contrast, the pressure rests all with Williams to make big plays in hopes of turning that one season into a multi-year extension somewhere.
Javonte Williams is good at football. pic.twitter.com/GGSbXcNbns
— UNC Barstool (@UNCBarstool)
As a second-round pick in 2021, the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team member enjoyed a lucrative start to his NFL journey. The 35th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft earned $8,865,752. That rounds out to $2,216,438 per season.
Now, he eclipses that in 2025, during the upcoming season in Dallas. Plus, an added bonus is that Texas does not employ an income tax.
Williams Embraces Risk on 1-Year Deal in Dallas
When Brian Schottenheimer took over in Dallas, he knew he wanted to feature a rushing attack. It’s in his DNA. Williams, the former Denver Broncos running back, looks like the favorite to win the job.
Williams’ path looked rather uncertain. With the running back position devalued due to depth and pass-happy offenses, the former North Carolina standout did not see a deep market during the 2025 offseason. However, in picking Dallas, Williams already drew praise from his new head coach.
“I do believe that you have to have the ability to catch the ball coming out of the backfield,” Schottenheimer said, via the Cowboys’ official website. “Why do I say that? If a team wants to commit to stopping the run, there’s ways that they can try to do that …”
“That doesn’t mean they have to play like a receiver, but they have to be able to run routes coming out of the backfield and have the ability to separate and run after the catch is important.”
In 54 games with the Broncos, the 2021 second-round pick gained 2,394 rushing yards on 606 carries (4.0 average) and 11 rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, Williams profiles as one of the best pass-catching backs in the league.
Over his four seasons, the 25-year-old pulled in 158 receptions on 203 targets and five touchdowns. He sports a 6.1 yards-per-attempt average, catching 77.8% of passes. Williams helped Denver achieve the 16th-best offense, according to PFSN’s Offense+ metric.