The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of questions on defense this upcoming season, and none are bigger than what they’re going to get from their edge rushers. The team traded for Rashan Gary and has used premium draft picks on players like Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence, leaving them with a nice combination of veteran reliability and young, athletic upside. There is plenty of intrigue surrounding the new arrivals, but one player who isn’t being talked about much is veteran Sam Williams.
In a move
of little consequence, the Cowboys re-signed Williams to a one-year, $3 million deal this offseason after playing out his rookie deal. A once-promising prospect out of Ole Miss due to his athleticism and closing burst making him one of college’s top disruptors. And he was coming off a 10.5-sack final college season, so the combination of athleticism and production piqued the interest of the team’s scouting department, making him their second-round pick in 2022.
Williams’ career in Dallas so far has been a bit turbulent. His first two seasons were encouraging. Despite playing limited snaps, Dan Quinn knew exactly how to use him. He was incredibly efficient, racking up 4 sacks as a rookie and 4.5 in his sophomore campaign. He also turned into a legitimate weapon on special teams, most notably when he blew through the line to block a punt in a game against the Rams that ultimately resulted in a safety. Every time he stepped on the field, he was a splash maker, with the only question being, just how much splashing was he going to do?
While the good stuff was good. The bad stuff wasn’t too bad. His being typecast as an exclusive pass rusher due to weaknesses in the run game was fair, and he did little to debunk the notion. He also had an unfortunate knack for committing bonehead, unnecessary roughness penalties at the worst times, generously gifting opposing teams free yards and extra chances. These moments highlighted his lack of discipline at times, showing he still had a lot to learn.
His play was still up and coming, and just as he seemed poised for a breakout season, the football gods intervened in a cruel way. A devastating ACL and MCL tear during training camp wiped out his entire 2024 season. When he finally returned to the field last year, he was quiet. The splash was gone, and anything decent he did was washed away with all the terribleness of the Cowboys’ defense last season. People may not have noticed, but Williams put together a strong finish last year and was identified by Pro Football Focus as one of the most improved defensive players during the second half of 2025.
The late-season finish is a good sign, as is a scheme change courtesy of new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. With a move to 3-4 coming, this shift reverts him back to the standalone outside linebacker role he dominated during his college days, where he can weaponize his raw speed. And while edge-setting hasn’t been his niche, he did show noticeable improvement anchoring down last year, where he finished with a career-high 37 tackles.
The transition to Parker’s defense will still require plenty of work. Playing outside linebacker in this new scheme requires high-level spatial awareness and sharp mental processing, as he will occasionally be asked to read and react. He has the speed to drop into coverage, but Williams will need to show a level of discipline that has eluded him in the past. He must prove he can be a consistent perimeter run container rather than just a blind upfield quarterback chaser. If he can work through some of the mental challenges of the position, he has the physical traits to take care of the rest.
As we look ahead to the upcoming season, Williams projects to once again be a pass-rushing specialist for this defense. While the younger draft picks come with plenty of excitement, they also carry a bag full of what-ifs, possibly giving the more experienced veteran a chance to sneak in and steal some playing time. This year represents the ultimate do-over for the breakout season that injury snatched away from him.
If his strong finish to last year was any indication, Williams is finally healthy, highly motivated, and perfectly positioned to once again splash away. While everyone is already hyping their favorite new guy, don’t forget about what Williams can bring to this Cowboys defense.
