The Dallas Cowboys revamped the running back room, inking free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders following the departure of Rico Dowdle this offseason.
The duo believes together, it can turn things around in Dallas after an inconsistent 2024.
"The sky's the limit -- I've been watching Miles since he was at Penn State, and then with the Eagles and a little with Carolina," Williams said, via the team's official website. "I've always respected his game, and I'm ready to get in here and compete with him and grind."
Both backs are looking for a fresh start after stumbling in recent seasons.
After a promising 903-yard rookie season in Denver, Williams suffered a devastating knee injury in 2022. He never fully looked right the following campaign and was inefficient in Sean Payton's offense last year, generating just 513 yards in 139 carries.
Sanders authored a Pro Bowl season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, earning 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns behind one of the best offensive lines in football. Then he inked a four-year, $25 million deal in Carolina, and things went sideways. He combined for just 637 total rushing yards and three TDs in two seasons with the Panthers and was clearly out of the rotation by the end.
"I feel like I made the right decision," Sanders said. "This is a fit for me, and I like what coach [Brian Schottenheimer] is doing -- as far as identity. I came from stuff like that. I'm just ready to ball out and contribute to the team."
Williams noted that he also chose Dallas to be part of the revolution under Schottenheimer.
"I just really wanted to be a part of the change," he said. "I know it's a lot of changes that have happened here, and I like the way coach Schotty is talking. … I wanna help build a winning, championship culture, like I do everywhere I go -- just put my nose down and do whatever I gotta do for the team."
The Cowboys watched Dowdle -- who came on strong down the stretch last season, earning 1,079 yards as the lead back -- sign a $2.75 million, one-year deal in Carolina. In 2024, they lost Tony Pollard to a big-money deal in Tennessee. Going from Dowdle-Pollard to Williams-Sanders in two years is a step back in efficiency and agility.
Dallas is taking a swing on two reclamation projects who bring experience and upside to the position but haven't looked spry in recent seasons. Speed remains a question at the position. With Williams and Sanders both on low-cost, one-year contracts, neither player's presence would preclude the Cowboys from taking a running back in the early to middle rounds of the draft, which is deep at the position.
