A star running back's surprising free agency destination sparks debate, with one pundit predicting a shocking NFC move. Will he stay or will he go?
The Dallas Cowboys' offseason has been dominated by George Pickens' looming contract saga.
And rightly so after Pickens' 1,429 yards and 9 TDs in his first season with the Cowboys, as he cemented himself as a star among stars in Dallas.
But let's not forget that George isn't the only key Cowboys player set to his free agency.
There's another one, and you could make the case that he's right behind Pickens in terms of value to the offense.
And that's Javonte Williams.
After a career-best year that saw Williams post 1,201 yards and 11 TDs, bringing him back is an easy decision. Even Cowboys COO Stephen Jones has stated that he wants Williams to return on a multi-year deal.
But for Fox Sports' Greg Auman, in his free agency prediction piece, he has Javonte oddly landing with the Arizona Cardinals.
"Williams, 25, had a breakout year as a free-agent bargain for the Cowboys, rushing for a career-best 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns and averaging 4.8 yards per carry, a full yard better than the previous year with the Broncos," Auman wrote.
"He went to Dallas on a one-year, $3 million deal, but could get double that this time around, with good pass-catching abilities, averaging 38 receptions per season. Dallas is well over the cap, so it may have a fourth leading rusher in four seasons in 2026."
At the time of writing, it doesn't feel like the Cowboys will allow Williams to walk out the door of The Star. And they won't be "well over the cap" for long.
Set to likely get a contract between $6 and $7 million APY across, say two years, the Cowboys would be wise to sort out Javonte's future sooner rather than later.
His future, along with Pickens', is the first big domino to fall for Dallas this offseason, and one can only imagine if the franchise allows both to walk in the coming months.
The offense was one of the best in football, powered by Williams, who gave the Cowboys a top-10 run game in 2025, something greatly appreciated in Cowboys Nation.
Leave that for a 3-14 Cards club that may be the worst team in the NFL?
What isn't is the Cowboys' approach to free agency of late, and now, the front office has a chance to keep two key pieces around for the foreseeable future.
And if I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet on Williams ending up in Arizona; he'll stay in Dallas.