Cowboys Sign Javonte Williams to 3-Year, $24M Deal

Running back locked up as Dallas focuses on re-signing star receiver George Pickens

Feb. 22, 2026 at 1:53am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Dallas Cowboys have signed running back Javonte Williams to a 3-year, $24 million contract, keeping one of their key offensive players under team control. Williams is coming off a breakout 2025 season where he rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. With Williams secured, the Cowboys can now shift their focus to re-signing wide receiver George Pickens, who is set to hit free agency after a career year in 2026.

Why it matters

Retaining Williams provides stability and production in the Cowboys' backfield, while re-signing Pickens would keep their top receiving duo of him and CeeDee Lamb intact. Keeping their core offensive pieces together is crucial for Dallas as they look to build on their success and make a deep playoff run.

The details

Williams, 25, was on a one-year contract with the Cowboys last season after spending his first four years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. His new 3-year, $24 million deal includes $16 million in guaranteed money. In 2025, Williams rushed for 1,201 yards on 252 carries and scored 11 rushing touchdowns, which was the 8th most in the NFL. He also caught 35 passes for 137 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns, providing a reliable receiving threat out of the backfield.

  • Williams signed his new 3-year contract on February 21, 2026.

The players

Javonte Williams

A 25-year-old running back who just signed a 3-year, $24 million contract to remain with the Dallas Cowboys after a breakout 2025 season.

George Pickens

A 24-year-old wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys who is set to hit free agency after a career-best 2026 season where he had 1,429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.

Dak Prescott

The starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, who will continue to have Williams as a reliable backfield option and could potentially keep Pickens as a top receiving target.

CeeDee Lamb

The Cowboys' star wide receiver who is already under a 4-year, $136 million contract, complicating the team's efforts to re-sign Pickens to a long-term deal.

Brad Sham

The longtime broadcaster for the Dallas Cowboys who has emphasized the importance of the team re-signing Pickens to pair with Lamb.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Every indication is that they see Pickens as essential to what they're building on offense. Everything has been about the importance of having him and Lamb together.”

— Brad Sham, Cowboys Broadcaster (The Sporting News)

What’s next

The Cowboys will now focus their efforts on re-signing wide receiver George Pickens, who is set to hit free agency after a career-best 2026 season.

The takeaway

By locking up running back Javonte Williams on a 3-year deal, the Cowboys have secured a key piece of their offensive core. Now their top priority is retaining star wide receiver George Pickens, which would keep their dynamic passing attack intact as they aim to make a deep playoff run.