Should Cowboys extend red-hot Javonte Williams before he becomes a free agent?

FRISCO, Texas -- Of the unrestricted escaped agents the Dallas Cowboys signed during the offseason, determination is nary question Javonte Williams has been their best.

After 5 games, helium is 3rd successful the NFL with 447 rushing yards and tied for 2nd with 5 rushing touchdowns connected 79 carries. He has besides caught 17 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. While backmost Dak Prescott is the Cowboys' astir invaluable and astir important player, Williams' play is simply a large crushed wherefore the Cowboys (2-2-1) person specified a productive offense.

He is connected a one-year declaration that could wage him up to $3.5 million. He received a $1 cardinal bonus, a $1.5 cardinal basal wage that is afloat guaranteed and tin marque up to $500,000 successful progressive roster bonuses. If the Cowboys marque the playoffs and helium reaches 1,200 combined yards and 12 combined touchdowns successful the regular season, helium volition gain an other $500,000.

While the accumulation mightiness person amazed some, manager Brian Schottenheimer is not 1 of them.

"It was the carnal play style," Schottenheimer said. "This is simply a feline arsenic a walk protector [who] is elite. Playing distant from the football, he's elite. He's convulsive with his chips and truthful astute and truthful intelligent."

Williams' commencement begs the question: Should the Cowboys look astatine signing him to an hold present alternatively than later?

The Cowboys person the wage headdress space. Williams doesn't crook 26 until April. He has recovered from the torn close ACL and LCL sustained successful 2022 with the Denver Broncos. He is fantabulous successful the locker room.

Paying moving backs is ever tricky. Ezekiel Elliott's accumulation dropped aft his $90 cardinal hold with Dallas successful 2019, though Williams' terms won't beryllium that high. The Cowboys franchise-tagged Tony Pollard successful 2023, but they mightiness privation to usage that connected wide receiver George Pickens this offseason. Williams' marketplace could beryllium bustling aft the season, oregon helium could similar being a Cowboy truthful overmuch that helium is consenting to motion up now.

There are inactive things to prove, similar longevity. He has not had much than 217 carries successful a play and is connected gait for 269.

Everything is simply a gamble, but astatine the close price, locking up Williams present makes sense.

Another No. 19

With 8 catches for 114 yards -- including catches of 40 and 46 yards past week against the New York Jets -- Ryan Flournoy brought backmost the representation of Miles Austin, a Cowboys receiver from 2006 to 2013, who burst onto the country due to the fact that of wounded successful 2009 with his archetypal of 2 Pro Bowl seasons.

Like Austin, Flournoy wears No. 19, and helium said Austin was 1 of the reasons why.

"Growing up I watched football, truthful I knew helium wore 19, and the crushed I got 19 is due to the fact that of Miles Austin and Amari Cooper," Flournoy said. "I conscionable felt similar I play similar them -- large and accelerated and conscionable immoderate finesse. Just wanted to support that tradition. For real."

On Oct. 11, 2009, filling successful for an injured Roy Williams, Austin acceptable a Cowboys grounds with 250 receiving yards connected 2 touchdowns, including the winning TD against the Read Entire Article