One day after exiting practice early with a shoulder injury, second-year defensive end Sam Williams doesn’t appear to be a major concern for the Cowboys as they strap on the pads for the second time in Oxnard.
Not even an hour into Monday’s session- the first padded practice of this year’s training camp- Williams suffered what was later classified as a shoulder strain. He left the field after a brief discussion with head athletic trainer Jim Maurer and did not return.
But head coach Mike McCarthy intimated that the issue is not terribly serious, telling reporters Tuesday that he expected the former second-round draft pick to participate in at least some capacity.
“The goal is to get him out early,” McCarthy explained during a pre-practice press conference, “and he may do some individual [work]. We’re going to try to work him in.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said DE Sam Williams will participate in individual drills today, one day after exiting practice with a shoulder strain.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 1, 2023
The Cowboys defensive line was also without Dorance Armstrong on Monday; the sixth-year man spent the day working with the rehab group as he nursed a tight hamstring. McCarthy confirmed that would be the case again on Tuesday.
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But even without Williams and Armstrong in the mix, the coach liked what he saw from the rest of the defensive line, though they may have frustrated his own offense on several occasions.
But the new play-caller is happy for the test.
“No, I love it,” McCarthy said. “We can’t get enough work. This is a perfect illustration of why we’re not practicing against other teams. The offense and the defense, we will challenge each other at a very high level. You can see we got off to a pretty good start with that yesterday.”
Good enough that two key absences along the defensive front didn’t cause a noticeable setback.
The longtime coach struggled to come up with one of his own D-line groups that has ever had more talent beyond the starting level.
“Shoot, I don’t recall [a defensive line group] this deep,” McCarthy admitted. “I’d say this is clearly the most depth I’ve ever had on the defensive line.”
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