It's pretty bizarre that the running back position dominated the conversation the way it did once the Dallas Cowboys returned to the practice field.
Granted, Jaydon Blue had a lot of hype coming out of Texas and amounted to nothing as a rookie. The offense can reach another gear if he carves out a role, so he's got a lot of eyes on him.
Still, the whole discourse feels disrespectful to Javonte Williams, who was as consistent as any RB in football last season while playing on a one-year, $3.5 million contract.
Even Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith came away impressed by Williams, who met Smith for the first time during mandatory minicamp. The Pro Football Hall of Famer didn't have much advice to give, which may have been the biggest compliment of all (h/t Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News).
"He just told me to keep running the way I was running, and everything will be all right," Williams said.
Cowboys fans couldn't have worded it any better.
Emmitt Smith wants Cowboys RB Javonte Williams to keep doing his thing
Smith never shies away from critiquing his former team. While he was never going to criticize Williams to his face, it still speaks volumes that the NFL's all-time leading rusher doesn't want the 26-year-old to change a thing about his game.
We'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams' influence on Williams' career season. Schottenheimer emphasized a balanced offense in which the run game complements the pass, while Adams deserves recognition for crafting the rushing schemes that made it all work.
Having said that, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Williams deserves even more praise for maximizing every crease and creating plenty on his own.
Williams slowed down toward the end of the season, underscoring the importance of someone like Blue breaking out in Year 2, but it's hard to argue that he was a top-10 running back in the league, if not higher.
Cowboys' run game is in great hands with Javonte Williams
Here's a look at where Williams ranked among RBs in 2025, via Pro Football Focus' advanced stats (min. 200 rushing attempts):
Category | Tally | Rank |
|---|---|---|
Rushing grade | 81.7 | 10th |
Rushing yards | 1,201 | 12th |
Yards per attempt | 4.8 | 7th |
Rushing touchdowns | 11 | 7th |
Yards after contact per attempt | 3.56 | 4th |
Missed tackles forced | 54 | 9th |
Explosive runs | 26 | 14th |
Williams could have ranked even higher in some categories if not for a nagging shoulder injury that caused him to miss a game and parts of several others. The Cowboys will ideally lighten his workload after 278 touches last season to keep him fresh for the stretch run.
After all, Williams' violent running style is exactly what teams want to unleash in the colder months. That loses its purpose if Williams has already absorbed too much punishment by the stretch run.
If Blue or another back on the roster becomes a reliable RB2, it stands to reason that Williams will be even more efficient when it comes to forcing missed tackles, plunging forward through contact, and ripping off big runs.
There's not much -- if anything -- for Williams to clean up, which explains why Smith's advice was so brief.
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