Dallas Cowboys In Flux After DE Sam Williams Tears ACL During Training Camp

The hits keep coming to the Dallas Cowboys.

Defensive end Sam Williams tore his ACL during training camp practice, ruling him out for the season before it began. The 25-year-old, picked number 56 in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, played his college ball at Ole Miss. Last season, he finished with 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his second season as a pro.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer expected a revolving door at pass rusher opposite All-Pro Micah Parsons. With Williams out for the season, veteran edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence will need to play more snaps than initially anticipated. He had a productive 2023-24 season with 50 tackles and four sacks. However, the Cowboys wanted to take more off his plate as he entered his age-32 season in 2024, and that will not be possible now.

One name that could emerge for Dallas is rookie Marshawn Kneeland, whom they selected in the second round. Kneeland earned All-MAC honors last season at DE while playing for Western Michigan. He spent five seasons in Kalamazoo after having just one scholarship offer out of high school. While he did not play high-level college football, Zimmer hopes that his NFL-ready body and experience could lead to a quick transition to the NFL.

America’s team has had a noisy off-season. Entering the final year of his contract, Dak Prescott did not receive an extension, adding speculation that this could be his last season in Big D. His All-Pro WR Ceedee Lamb is also sitting out of training camp until he gets a new extension. The wide receiver market exploded this off-season after Justin Jefferson’s historic deal, and Lamb also feels he deserves a record-breaking number. This could also be the final season for head coach Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys were rumored to be interested in Bill Belichick last offseason, and another early playoff exit may lead to owner Jerry Jones looking for a new voice.