The Dallas Cowboys have their lead running back in Javonte Williams, but the front office is actively exploring ways to strengthen the position behind him. With veteran Nick Chubb still available on the open market, Dallas faces a decision that could define its ground game heading into the 2026 season. The Cowboys’ commitment to Williams as the unquestioned RB1 is clear — yet the lack of proven depth remains a glaring concern that could surface the moment an injury strikes.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen identified Chubb as a logical fit for Dallas, noting the former Cleveland Browns back could slot in as the No. 2 or No. 3 option behind Williams. Chubb’s skill set — power running, vision between the tackles, and reliable hands on swing passes — complements what Williams brings to the table. For a team built around a clear lead back, the margin for error at the position is razor-thin.
Why the Cowboys Need Running Back Depth
Dallas enters 2026 with Javonte Williams as the centerpiece of its rushing attack, a role he has earned through consistent production and durability. But the depth chart behind him is thin, and the franchise learned the hard way in recent seasons that relying on a single workhorse is a gamble. When Williams has stayed healthy, the offense has hummed. When he has missed time, the drop-off has been steep.
Bowen’s analysis highlights a reality every NFC East contender understands: a team with one obvious RB1 hopes it never needs the backups, but the NFL‘s physical toll makes that hope naive. The Cowboys’ offensive line, while talented, cannot compensate for a total absence of proven depth at the sport’s most punishing position. In 2025, Dallas ranked 18th in rushing yards per game, a figure that dipped to 142.3 in contests where Williams logged fewer than 15 carries — evidence that the offense leans heavily on his presence.
Javonte Williams: From Colorado Standout to Dallas Bellcow
Selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft (45th overall) by the Denver Broncos, Williams burst onto the scene with 1,129 rushing yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, displaying a rare blend of explosiveness and patience. After a promising start, a severe ACL tear in Week 2 of the 2022 season sidelined him for the remainder of that year, raising questions about his long‑term durability. He returned in 2023, posting 845 yards and five scores before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in March 2024 for a 2025 third‑round pick and a 2026 sixth‑round selection. In Dallas, Williams quickly ascended to the RB1 role, logging 1,012 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, then improving to 1,158 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. His vision, cutback ability, and willingness to absorb contact have made him a favorite of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who frequently designs zone‑read and power‑run concepts to maximize Williams’s strengths.
Historical Context: Cowboys Running Back Tradition
Dallas has a storied history of featuring elite rushers, from Tony Dorsett’s Hall‑of‑Fame career in the 1970s‑80s to Emmitt Smith’s all‑time leading rusher mark in the 1990s. The early 2010s saw the emergence of DeMarco Murray, who led the league in rushing in 2014 before a contract dispute sent him to Philadelphia. After Murray’s departure, the Cowboys invested heavily in Ezekiel Elliott, selecting him fourth overall in 2016. Elliott’s four‑year stretch (2016‑2019) produced three 1,000‑yard seasons and a Super Bowl appearance, establishing a template of a bellcow back supported by a sturdy offensive line. Elliott’s decline after 2020, coupled with injuries and a shifting league emphasis on passing, left Dallas searching for a new identity. Williams’s arrival in 2024 marked a shift toward a more versatile, dual‑threat back who can both grind between the tackles and catch passes out of the backfield—a profile that aligns with modern NFL offensive schemes.
What Nick Chubb Brings to the Table
Nick Chubb, still a free agent as of mid-May 2026, represents the most viable veteran option to pair with Williams in Dallas. Bowen characterized Chubb as a “veteran grinder” at this stage of his career — a player whose power and vision make him an effective early-down option in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Chubb can still secure catches on checkdowns and swing routes, giving the Cowboys a pass-catching dimension from the backup role that the current depth chart lacks.
His experience in high-leverage playoff games adds intangible value that a late-round draft pick or practice-squad promotion simply cannot replicate. Chubb’s career averages of 4.8 yards per carry and over 800 rushing yards per season (despite missing significant time due to injury) attest to his sustained effectiveness. In 2023, despite a fractured tibia that limited him to nine games, he still posted 5.1 yards per carry and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to produce even when not fully healthy. The question is not whether Chubb can help Dallas. It is whether the Cowboys’ front office views the investment as necessary or prefers to allocate those resources elsewhere.
League-Wide Running Back Trends in 2026
The 2026 offseason has seen a resurgence of interest in veteran running backs as teams look to balance explosive passing attacks with reliable short-yardage production. According to Pro Football Focus, the average yards after contact for RBs aged 28‑32 rose to 3.2 in 2025, the highest mark since 2018, indicating that experienced backs are still capable of generating value through toughness and vision. Teams such as the San Francisco 49ers (signing Christian McCaffrey to a extension) and the Philadelphia Eagles (retaining Miles Sanders) have opted to keep proven veterans rather than rely solely on rookie draft capital. This trend supports the argument that adding a player like Chubb could provide Dallas with a proven, cost‑effective solution to a known weakness.
Coaching Strategy: How Mike McCarthy and Kellen Moore Might Utilize a Two‑Back System
Head coach Mike McCarthy has historically favored a balanced attack, often employing a lead back complemented by a change‑of‑pace or third‑down specialist. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who called plays for the Cowboys from 2020‑2023 before moving to the Los Angeles Chargers, has shown a willingness to mix personnel groupings, frequently inserting a second back in goal‑line and short‑yardage situations to create mismatches. With Williams as the primary ball‑carrier, Chubb could serve as the designated power back in early‑down sets, allowing Williams to stay fresh for later‑quarter bursts and third‑down passing downs. Moore’s playbook already includes a variety of jet sweeps, draw plays, and play‑action passes that benefit from a back who can both protect the quarterback and leak out as a receiver—a skill set Chubb has demonstrated throughout his career.
Historical Comparisons: Past Cowboys RB Duos and Their Outcomes
Looking back, the most successful Cowboys running back tandems have featured a clear bellcow paired with a complementary specialist. In 2014, DeMarco Murray (1,845 yards) shared the backfield with Lance Dunbar, who provided third‑down receiving ability and spot‑start relief. In 2016‑2018, Ezekiel Elliott was paired with Darren McFadden and later Rod Smith, both of whom contributed short‑yardage power and occasional pass‑catching duties. Those duos helped the Cowboys maintain top‑five rushing rankings in three of those four seasons. Conversely, the 2020 season saw Elliott shoulder the load almost exclusively, with backup Tony Pollard seeing limited early‑down work; the offense ranked 12th in rushing yards per game, and the team struggled in short‑yardage situations. The addition of a veteran like Chubb would aim to replicate the successful balance of those earlier years, providing both insurance and tactical flexibility.
How This Affects Javonte Williams’s Workload
Adding Chubb would not threaten Williams’s role as the lead back. It would protect it. A proven backup allows Dallas to manage Williams’s snap count more carefully, preserving his explosiveness for critical fourth-quarter drives and playoff scenarios. The Cowboys’ coaching staff has historically leaned heavily on its top running back, and Williams’s per-carry efficiency has held up under volume. But the cumulative wear of a 17-game season — plus a potential postseason run — demands a plan B that the current roster does not offer. Chubb’s presence would also give Dallas flexibility in personnel groupings, allowing the offense to shift between single-back sets and two-back formations without a significant drop in production. Williams averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2025, a figure that could climb further if his workload is managed more conservatively behind a capable veteran.
What’s Next for the Cowboys’ Backfield
The next two weeks of offseason activity should clarify Dallas’s intentions. If the Cowboys sign Chubb, it signals a win-now posture — a willingness to spend on proven talent to address a known weakness. If they pass, the team is either confident in its internal options or plans to address the position in a future transaction. Either way, Javonte Williams remains the focal point of the Dallas ground game.
The film shows a runner who has refined his patience and cutback ability, traits that make him one of the more complete backs in the NFC. But even the most durable starters need reliable insurance, and the Cowboys’ decision on Chubb will reveal how seriously they take that reality. For fantasy managers, Williams’s bellcow status holds as long as no signing materializes — but a Chubb arrival would introduce just enough uncertainty to monitor closely through training camp.
Is Javonte Williams the Cowboys’ starting running back in 2026?
Yes. Javonte Williams is the clear lead back for the Dallas Cowboys heading into the 2026 season. ESPN’s Matt Bowen identified Williams as the team’s “leader in the backfield” and referred to Dallas as a team with “one obvious RB1”.
Could the Cowboys sign Nick Chubb to back up Javonte Williams?
Nick Chubb remains an unrestricted free agent and has been identified by ESPN as a logical fit for Dallas. Bowen wrote that Chubb could provide value as the Cowboys’ No. 2 or No. 3 option behind Williams, particularly in short-yardage and early-down situations.
What type of runner is Nick Chubb at this stage of his career?
Bowen described Chubb as a “veteran grinder” who can use his power and vision on early-down runs. Chubb also retains the ability to catch passes on swings and checkdowns, giving an offense a dual-threat dimension from the backup running back spot.
Why does Dallas need depth behind Javonte Williams?
The Cowboys lack proven NFL starting experience behind Williams on the depth chart. Bowen noted that if Williams were to go down with an injury, the lack of depth “can become apparent in a hurry,” making a veteran addition a practical insurance policy for a contending roster.
