Javonte Williams revitalized his career, dominating for Dallas. Houston needs that spark, and he offers it at a bargain.
Former Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams shattered multiple personal records in his lone season as the Dallas Cowboys leading rusher. He rushed for nearly 300 yards over his career-high, had the most carries for himself in a single season (252) and matched his four-year career touchdown total (11) with the 11 achieved just this campaign.
During his four years in Denver:
- 606 carries
- 2,394 yards (4.0 average)
- 11 touchdowns
During his one year in Dallas:
- 252 carries
- 1,201 yards (4.8 average)
- 11 touchdowns
Williams signed with the Cowboys in 2025 on a one-year, $3 million "prove it" deal after two underwhelming seasons in Denver.
According to the Cowboys Wire's Reid Hanson, the initial prognosis of Williams' impact in Frisco wasn't seen in the most positive light.
He expressed, "When the Cowboys first signed Williams in March of 2025 very few predicted it would be as impactful of a signing as it turned out to be."
He continued, "Williams was coming off back-to-back poor seasons in Denver and had shown little-to-no improvement from a knee injury suffered early in 2022.
Cowboys fans saw a player who was probably a downgrade to Rico Dowdle, their previous lead back. Rather than a replacement, they saw a platoon option who would need a rookie running back to help share the load."
He proved all naysayers wrong, rushing himself to the ninth-most yards in the NFL (in 16 games) and the third-best success rate at 56.3%.
Williams Looking to Parlay Career Year into Major Commitment
With a rehabilitated career arc, Williams now finds himself in line for both a major pay raise and a long-term commitment for a running back-needy team.
This is where the Houston Texans throw their hats into the ring, as they seek to escape the cellar of rushing production that they occupied for all of the 2025 season.
The Texans ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108.9), 29th in average (3.9) and 31st in rushing touchdowns (9).
Williams Can Help Start the Engine
Conversely, the Cowboys were ranked ninth in rushing yard per game (125.6), 10th in average (4.5) and 11th in rushing touchdowns (18). Williams and his explosive season helped to spearhead Dallas' near top-10 rushing year.
That's the kind of spark that Houston has missed since losing starting running back Joe Mixon for all of 2025 with a foot injury.
Reasonable Cost, High Upside
Along with that, Williams is only projected to cost roughly $7.5 million per year according to Spotrac, which is actually a bargain for the kind of production and reliability he can offer.
It's a price point that Houston would most certainly be in position to accommodate if general manager Nick Caserio and head coach Demeco Ryans agree that acquiring Williams would help cultivate the upward trajectory of the offense.
While players like Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan helped hold down the fort last season, the addition of another impact running back would help provide balance to a unit that lacked it so severely. Then, the running back trio would each be 26 or younger, which definitely helps as the team continues growing together.
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