This is the prime time for offseason predictions as all teams are currently prepping for training camp and there's not a whole lot going on. In that same voice, one recent Dallas Cowboys prediction should come as no surprise.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox did a piece on every team's top "bust" candidate for 2025 and, when it came to the Cowboys, Knox listed running back Javonte Williams.
It's no secret why Williams is a bust candidate. As Knox alluded to, he hasn't been the same guy he was coming out of North Carolina since he tore his ACL with the Broncos. While we don't envision Williams losing touches to Deuce Vaughn, as Knox mentioned, there's a lot of mouths to feed in Dallas' backfield.
But, the bigger picture overall, is the idea that Jerry Jones decided to take a lazy approach to the running back position. He added Williams, Miles Sanders and a pair of Day 3 rookies. Way to go all-in, Mr. Jones.
If Javonte Williams fails as the Cowboys' lead back, Jerry Jones will have no one to blame but himself
Forget the addition of George Pickens. You can celebrate adding a troubled wide receiver all you want, but if the more important things aren't taken care of (like establishing a healthy run game) it will not matter in the end.
Let's take a simple glance at Williams' 2024 campaign. He averaged only 3.7 yards per attempt and placed 47th among running backs with 2.38 yards after contact per attempt and 36th with 13 rushing of 10 or more yards, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
How about Williams' career, as a whole? Great, glad you asked. His career yards-per-attempt average is a mediocre 4.0.
For further context, the Cowboys finished last season as the sixth-worst team in rushing, in all of football, on a yards per game basis. Dallas also finished 2024 with the third-worst yards per attempt, as a team, at just 4.0 yards.
We can keep going down this road, but the fact of the matter is, the Cowboys' run game has been on the decline and looks like it could continue to be abysmal, especially if Williams fails to live up to ... expectation? The saving grace might be the creativity of new offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, but RB talent matters just as much, if not more.
