After missing out on postseason play for a second consecutive season, the Dallas Cowboys will have some major questions to answer over the offseason, including what they plan to do at the running back position.
The Cowboys got some surprisingly productive play from Javonte Williams this season. The fifth-year back has started in all 16 games for Dallas on the current campaign and tallied 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has 35 receptions for 137 yards and two more TDs.
Cowboys mentioned as solid fit for J.K. Dobbins in free agency
Unfortunately for Dallas, Williams is headed for unrestricted free agency over the offseason, and his productive play over the course of the campaign may have elevated him out of the Cowboys’ price range, which would leave them seeking a replacement.
That’s where veteran back J.K. Dobbins could come in. Like Williams, Dobbins is headed for unrestricted free agency over the offseason, and he could prove to be a realistic, affordable target for Dallas.
For those reasons, the Cowboys were recently listed as an ideal landing spot for Dobbins by Alex Kay of Bleacher Report.
“With Dobbins missing multiple games in all six of his NFL seasons—including all of the 2021 campaign and almost all of 2023—it'll be tough for him to earn any sort of long-term deal from a club,” Kay wrote. “… Dobbins will be well worth rolling the dice on for a cash-strapped club like the Dallas Cowboys.
More Dallas Cowboys news: Dak Prescott explains why he wants to play in regular season finale for Cowboys
"The team could be priced out of retaining Javonte Williams and will want to make up that lost production by coming to terms on a cheap, incentive-laden deal with Dobbins.”
When it comes to Dobbins, health has always been a consistent concern as he’s missed a chunk of time in each of the last four seasons. He started strong in Denver this season before eventually being placed on the IR with a foot injury. Prior to the injury though, Dobbins had a solid season for the Broncos, tallying 772 rushing yads and four touchdowns in 10 appearances.
He’s still just 27 years old, so he should still have plenty of gas left in the tank, as long as he can stay on the field. Given their other options, Dobbins could certainly be worth a flyer for the Cowboys, who could also look to add a running back in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.