FRISCO – The Dallas Cowboys wouldn’t boast the NFL’s top yards-per-game offense if it wasn’t for the breakout start to the season for running back Javonte Williams.

While the term “breakout” may discredit his prior years – where he memorably totaled over 1,200 all-purpose yards in a fine rookie season – this year has come as a surprise to most. Williams is now two years removed from an ACL injury and has found his spark again in Brian Schottenheimer’s scheme.

“Javonte is the bell cow. He’s earned that,” Schotty said this week at The Star. “We believe in him, and that’s the way we’ll approach it moving forward.”

There is also now buzz about a “move forward’’ to re-sign Javonte, and one insider has tossed out “$10.7 million’’ as a future annual salary.

And that’s where I’m about to become a very unpopular party pooper.

At the moment, as I understand it, there isn’t much “forward” beyond this season, as Williams was signed to a cheap one-year, $3 million contract in Dallas’ first external free agent deal of the offseason – and the Cowboys aren’t necessarily moving him to the contractual front burner just yet.

That can change, of course, any time owner Jerry Jones opts to open up his pocketbook and offers a contract extension that more appropriately compensates Javonte. … and that is in general an acceptable idea.

Williams is third in the NFL in rushing yards (447), tied for second in touchdowns (5), and third in yards per game (89.4) through the first five weeks. He leads the league in expected points added (EPA) per possession at an astounding +8.9.

But what is “appropriate compensation’’? What is “an acceptable idea’’?

I’m here to establish that it’s absolutely not $10.7 million per year – and that such a deal would be a terrible and needless overspend.

As much as some Cowboys watchers continue to complain about Dallas “failing to sign Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley’’ – two complete spring-of-2024 fantasies – Javonte’s performance has actually supported the notion of not giving a running back $20 million APY.

Henry and Barkley are freakish outliers; if somebody that special comes along, maybe that somebody merits a monster salary.

But Dallas’ signing of Williams proves the philosophy here is a solid one: There are ways to employ capable backs at $3 million … without having to pay seven times that, or even three times that.

Additionally, there is the idea of using the draft to find young “cheap’’ talent.

Wasn’t that the point of selecting University of Texas star Jaydon Blue in the fifth round last April? To have him mature into being a starter? (Blue, by the way, is suddenly the No. 2 back here after the season-ending decision on Miles Sanders and his knee; read more below.)

Jones was reluctant to get ahead of Micah Parsons’ expiring contract, so that stands as evidence that the Cowboys could be comfortable waiting on Williams … and even comfortable with him leaving.

But …

With Parsons now dealt to Green Bay, the front office still has over $30 million in cap space this season, which could come in handy if the team opts to get a guy like kicker Brandon Aubrey locked up long-term.

In the case of Williams? Maybe you get him cheaper by getting him earlier. If not? At this rate, even as there are plenty of games left to play in 2025, you can bet that Williams will command a hefty salary on the open market this offseason.

For now, Cowboys Nation will relish in having as effective a run game as we’ve seen since the early Ezekiel Elliott days. It’s even more impressive given the fact that Javonte is adjusting to a new coaching staff and, as of last week in the win at the Jets, missing four of his five starting offensive linemen.

If that effort – when Williams rushed for 135 yards and scored two total touchdowns behind that make-shift protection – was any indication of how the Cowboys feel about him? He’s found a home.

“It just feels good for them to have trust in me,” Williams said. “I love it here.’’

How much do the Cowboys love him back? A contract … maybe now, maybe later, will be the measuring stick there. But I bet it’ll never be $10.7 million per year worth of love.