The Dallas Cowboys made what, to them, probably seems like a significant investment when they dropped a 3-year, $24 million contract on running back Javonte Williams this offseason.
With $16 million in guaranteed money, that’s a gross overpay for a player who not only suffered a catastrophic knee injury in the last few seasons but has just a single 1,000-yard rushing season under his belt, which he pulled off in 2025.
Running behind 1 of the NFL’s best offensive lines will make anyone look good, but we can expect Williams’ true nature to reveal itself in 2026. That true nature is a running back who averaged well under 4 yards per carry in 2023 and 2024, and when Williams finally shows his true colors, the Cowboys might end up desperate for an elite running back.
Lucky for them, 1 of them might be available really soon. CBS Sports NFL Reporter Garrett Podell put out a list of 5 NFL superstars who could be asking for trades in the near future, and Indianapolis Colts NFL All-Pro and 3-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor topped the list.
The most enticing part? Podell thinks the price would be incredibly low, with a projected 3rd-round pick in return for 1 of the NFL’s best rushers.
Cowboys Could Move Heaven and Earth for Taylor
The Cowboys are set up to be contenders in 2026 thanks to a revamped defense. If the running game falls flat, expect owner Jerry Jones to move heaven and earth to trade for a player like Taylor.
Podell predicts Taylor will be gone by the 2026 NFL trade deadline, and he’s in the final season of a 3-year, $42 million contract extension.
“A running back’s prime is finite, and Taylor remains at the top of his game after producing the third-most rushing yards (1,585) and the most rushing touchdowns (18) in the NFL in 2025,” Podell wrote. “If Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) and wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) can’t get healthy in a hurry, the 27-year-old three-time Pro Bowl back may start looking around for a new home. Not many general managers around the league would keep their jobs after five seasons of postseason-less football, but somehow Chris Ballard has been able to do that in Indianapolis.”
In 6 NFL seasons, Taylor’s 90.5 yards-per-game career average is No. 5 in NFL history, and in that time he’s made just 1 postseason appearance — a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round in his rookie year.
Williams Not in Same Conversations as Taylor
The Cowboys missed the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive season in 2025 by going 7-9-1 — which doesn’t tell you how elite their offense was.
The problem with the Cowboys was their defense, which could have up to 7 new starters in 2026.
So, the offense is very good, and that starts with the offensive line. The idea of putting Taylor behind them … should send any true Cowboys fan into a tizzy.
In his 1st 6 seasons, Taylor has 4 seasons with at least 1,100 rushing yards, including leading the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns in 2021. He’s had at least 1,000 yards of total offense in 5 out of 6 seasons, save only for when he played in just 10 games in 2023. Even that year, Taylor had 741 rushing yards and 891 yards of total offense — just 33 fewer yards than Williams had in 16 games for the Denver Broncos that same year.
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