The Dallas Cowboys made one of the biggest moves of the trade deadline, acquiring star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in exchange for draft capital in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts.
It was a bold move by Dallas, but one they could afford to make after acquiring multiple first-round picks in the Micah Parsons trade earlier last offseason.
Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft upon us, let’s look back at the Williams trade and see exactly what Dallas gave up in return.
Original compensation for the Quinnen Williams trade
- Dallas Cowboys receive: DT Quinnen Williams
- New York Jets receive: DT Mazi Smith, 2026 second-round pick (No. 44 overall), 2027 first-round pick
How did Quinnen Williams play for the Cowboys in 2025?
Williams quickly caught up to speed in
Dallas, recording a stellar 32 pressures in just seven games with the Cowboys. He had a 19.6 percent pass-rush win rate, which is amazing for an interior defensive lineman, and fit in well with Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark on the interior.
Williams also recorded a 12 percent run stop rate, ranking second on the team behind only Jadaveon Clowney, showing his talent in both facets of the game.
Did the Cowboys win the Quinnen Williams trade?
The Cowboys have made some interesting moves over the past few months, trading away Micah Parsons only to go after Quinnen Williams to reinforce their defensive line.
But, Williams is a special talent, and he had a very strong end of the year with the Cowboys last season. While he only had 1.5 sacks, the pressure numbers were there, and Dallas now has the defensive tackle entering his prime at age-29.
With a move like this, the Cowboys will be graded on how well they can maximize their current window behind Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Williams, and the other core players of the team.
Dallas certainly gave up quite a haul, and they’ll want more sack production from their new star, but it was a solid start to Williams’s Cowboys career at the end of the 2025 season.
Who did the Jets take with their picks from the Quinnen Williams trade?
The Jets are currently slated to pick 44th in the 2026 NFL Draft and they also have a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. We will update when those picks are made.
