Dallas Cowboys do Kansas City Chiefs a big favor with deal for RB Javonte Williams as 2026 NFL free agency approaches

The Kansas City Chiefs just got some help from the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2026 NFL free agency period.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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The Dallas Cowboys just did the Kansas City Chiefs a bit of a favor as the 2026 NFL free agency period approaches.

On Saturday, Feb. 22, the Cowboys signed RB Javonte Williams to a 3-year contract extension worth $24 million with $16 million in guaranteed money. It’s the first deal that a pending free agent running back has signed during this free agency period. While Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker is expected to earn the top free agent RB contract of this cycle, this deal sets the floor for what a productive back should earn on the open market.

Javonte Williams’ contract sets the floor for the Chiefs as they pursue running backs in free agency

The Chiefs obviously have some major needs at the running back position with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt slated for free agency. They only have Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell under contract at running back for the 2026 NFL season. Basically, this position group will look very different on the other side of free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.

So, how does Javonte Williams’ contract come into play as Brett Veach navigates the offseason for Kansas City? Williams had a breakout season for the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 with 287 touches for 1,338 yards and 13 total touchdowns. Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. has emerged as one of the Chiefs’ top free agent targets in recent weeks. He had a very similar season to Williams in terms of production in 2025, with 297 touches for 1,399 yards and 13 touchdowns. Etienne is 27, while Williams is 28. If the Chiefs are truly going after Etienne in free agency, it stands to reason that he’d fetch a similar deal to the one Williams received.

Any running back slated for free agency — like Breece Hall, Rico Dowdle, Tyler Allgeier, and so on — will now have to contend with a tough argument. A breakout star who produced over 1300 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025 took a three-year deal worth $24 million. Why should they earn more?

Contract reporting isn’t always what it seems, so even if Williams’ deal appears to be a $8 million-per-year contract, there’s likely a catch. It won’t favor Williams; rather, it will favor the Cowboys. Maybe it’s contract incentives or the deal structure, but there’s always more than meets the eye than what comes across the desk of Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter.

If Williams truly is making $8 million per year, he’d rank 16th among NFL running backs in his average annual earnings. Again, Walker will probably set the market’s ceiling, but by how much? What’s abundantly clear here is that the NFL still vastly undervalues the running back position, and there’s a good supply of them on the market this year. The idea that there’s a resurgence and that guys at the position could regularly fetch $10 million to $12 million per year might be wishful thinking.

Realistically, this deal should help the Chiefs when it comes to negotiating with Etienne or any other running back who interests them in free agency.

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