Tag: Sam Williams

Cowboys already spending 13% of cap on depleted edge rusher group

The defense end group makes up a big portion of the teams salary cap and will only get pricier. | From @ArmyChiefW3

The defensive side of the ball for the Dallas Cowboys doesn’t boast the type of contract numbers dedicated to the offense. The large cap hits defensive ends command rings true, but the available options behind them are slim. A sneaky need for this team is that a counterpart opposite of star pass rusher Micah Parsons must be found.

But Dallas has been known to be frugal and overspending on a single position group doesn’t fit their approach to team building.

Dallas was built to put pressure on the quarterback to allow their ballhawk-type secondary to cash in on the disruption. No matter the changes this defense will undergo with Mike Zimmer taking the baton from Dan Quinn, applying pressure on the opposing quarterback is something all teams want to accomplish. The remaining pass-rush production behind Parsons needs attention, but at what cost?

LOOK: DaRon Bland Pick-6 starts Cowboys’ defense, special teams ballistic run

A series of defensive and special teams plays put the game out of reach early for the Cowboys. | From @KDDrummondNFL

After the Cowboys’ opening touchdown, Dallas traded field goals with the Los Angeles Rams to keep their early lead at seven, 10-3. Then, Dan Quinn and John Fassel’s units decided they wanted to make an impression on the game.

In the blink of an eye, Dallas extended the lead to a whopping 23 points and the offense had very little to do with it.

 

Cowboys still waiting for Sam Williams to breakout in 2023

Many predicted Sam Williams to break out in his second year with the Cowboys and while that hasn’t happened, there are signs of improvement. | From @ReidDHanson

The NFL offseason is notoriously a time for hype. Optimism reigns supreme as teams turn the page on the failures of the previous season and build a plan to do better in the upcoming campaign. New players are added, and young players develop.

The Cowboys had a few new and and a few returning players getting their fair share of hype over the past offseason, but no player seemed to universally garner more of that hype than second-year edge Sam Williams. Five games into 2023, the hype has not been realized.

Williams, a second-round pick out of Mississippi, hit the ground running as a pro. Handpicked by Dan Quinn, Williams made an instant impact as a developmental pass rusher. Despite sharing an EDGE rotation with the likes of Micah Parsons, Dorance Armstrong, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler, Williams managed to collect four sacks and 11 pressures in his rookie season.

Averaging one pressure every 25 snaps wasn’t Parsons’ territory but it was impressive given how raw the young defensive end was as a pro.

Blessed with natural burst, speed, and strength, Williams was a breakout player to watch in 2023. Even with the return of the others, Williams was in position to get great opportunities in Quinn’s rotation in 2023.

With the exception of Parsons, Williams had arguably the biggest upside amongst the bunch. And signed through the 2025 season, he was also under team control the longest.

Lawrence is only signed through 2024 and both Fowler and Armstrong will be free agents after this season. To put it bluntly, the Cowboys had every reason to give Williams extra opportunities and groom him for bigger and better.

2023 has not unfolded as many would have imagined. In 99 defensive snaps, Williams has only logged one sack and six pressures. With one pressure every 17 snaps, his pressure rate has improved over last season, but it’s not quite the breakout many were expecting from the 24-year-old defensive end.

Perhaps more concerning is he has only logged one pressure since Week 2 and has consistently scored poor grades, ranking 83 out of 114 graded players by PFF.

While there may be some disappointment in Williams’ season thus far, it’s important to point out he is still young and improving. Playing alongside Parsons and Lawrence is always going to cap his opportunities, but that could be seen as a blessing in disguise.

Within a rotation, Williams can dedicate himself to quality of snaps over quantity. He’s splitting snaps fairly evenly with Fowler and Armstrong, so he’s not buried or out of disfavor. He’s an equal. At this point in the season, it’s too early to issue judgement.

Williams hasn’t broken out this season, but he’s clearly improving. He’s on pace for more snaps in 2023 and to nearly double his number of pressures. There are plenty of things to be disappointed about in 2023 but Williams shouldn’t be one of them. Even if he hasn’t officially broken out yet.

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Here’s all the Cowboys need from Sam Williams going forward

The Cowboys don’t need Williams to be a cornerstone player, they need him to be an effective short-term solution. @ReidDHanson explains.

Sam Williams is in trouble. Again. The red flag draft prospect from 2022 has seemingly lived up to the reputation that made him a risky draft selection just roughly 15 months ago.

For as talented as he was as a pass-rusher, he was considered a risk by the draft community. His suspension from the University of Mississippi was a result of sexual battery charges in 2020. The Cowboys understood the risks and rewards and reportedly ran extensive background checks before selecting him No. 56 in the 2022 draft.

“A pass rusher is a premium. A pressure player is a premium, Jerry Jones said of the pick. “First and foremost, he’s a terrific player and a potential terrific pro as a player. He has a lot of energy, a lot of personality. We think that is a real positive for his play as well as the people around him. He brings a lot to the table. We thoroughly investigated those allegations and are completely satisfied that those are well within our comfort level.”

On August 20, Williams was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawfully carrying a weapon, according to the Star Telegram. This incident comes on the heels of a December reckless driving crash which resulted in hospitalization for Williams and another party.

The Cowboys hoped the off-the-field issues were behind him but his latest incident marks the second legal issue he’s had before his second season even kicks off.

This begs the question: What do the Cowboys really need from their maligned second-year pass-rusher?

Twitter reacts to Jerry Jones’ reaction to Sam Williams’ arrest

After the arrest of the Cowboys’ young DE became public news, public reaction could only be trumped by Jerry Jones. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys returned to the headlines on Wednesday, and if you know anything about football, you know it most likely wasn’t a good thing. Unless the club is making a roster move of some kind, there aren’t too many things that could bring them into the national spotlight on a Wednesday. During the regular season, Wednesday is a big practice day as the club’s initial injury report is released, but things are still in exhibition mode for the next week.

No, Wednesday brought news from the police blotter, a narrative that follows the Cowboys since their glory days. Second-year defensive end Sam Williams was arrested on Sunday evening, but it didn’t surface to the Dallas media until the middle of the week, when Clarence Hill of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram emerged with the news. The Twitter responses to the charges, and the club’s reputation, were immediate. The Cowboys’ owner’s reaction when asked about Williams’ transgressions were iconic Jerry Jones.

The initial reports seemed to indicate Williams was arrested for possession of marijuana. Then it was clarified to be a non-marijuana controlled substance, which led to wild speculation. It turned out to be THC oil. Williams was involved in a car crash this past December after going 98 mph. Mixed together, it created a wild ride for Cowboys Nation. Follow along with the best Twitter reactions to it all.

Cowboys DE Sam Williams arrested on multiple charges

From @ToddBrock24f7: Frisco police arrested Williams Sunday night on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

One of the Cowboys’ rising stars is suddenly in hot water, with less than three weeks to go before the team’s regular season opener.

Second-year defensive end Sam Williams was arrested in Frisco on Sunday night on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to a Wednesday morning report from Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The team is apparently aware of the matter but declined to comment.

Williams did practice with the team on Tuesday after having Monday off. He logged his first sack of the 2023 preseason on Saturday night versus Seattle.

The 24-year-old Ole Miss product previously found himself in trouble last December after a two-car crash in Plano. He had been speeding in a Corvette Z06 purchased just 18 hours prior and was struck in the driver’s side by another vehicle; the impact jettisoned the Corvette’s front wheels and scattered debris across four lanes of traffic.

Williams and the other driver were transported to the hospital, and the second-round draft pick sat out the Cowboys’ Christmas Eve contest versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Police later issued an arrest warrant, and Williams was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving.

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Of the alleged infractions in this latest incident, the weapons charge is a misdemeanor, but possession of a controlled substance- later confirmed by Frisco police to be THC- is a low-level state felony in Texas.

The arrest puts Williams in possible violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. A fine or suspension from the league is possible following an investigation.

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McCarthy: Cowboys DE Sam Williams expected back Tuesday after early Monday exit

From @ToddBrock24f7: Sam Williams suffered a shoulder strain one hour into the team’s first padded practice, but there is optimism for a speedy return.

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.”

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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Damone Clark or Sam Williams? Which breakout would have a bigger impact on Cowboys?

Looking at how the development of Sam Williams and Damone Clark impacts the Cowboys and which players breakout would help the team more. | From @cdpiglet

The ebb and flow of a team is always interesting to watch. Some veteran players step up, young players develop, and sometimes even rookies jump into big contributor roles out the gate. Last year was an excellent example in Dallas. Tyler Smith switched from left guard to left tackle right before the start of the season and helped salvage the offensive line after Tyron Smith was injured.

DaRon Bland, forced into the starting slot corner role, became a playmaker, intercepting five passes in eight starts. Leighton Vander Esch had his best season since his rookie year, Dorance Armstrong, Donovan Wilson, Terence Steele, and Tony Pollard all had the best seasons of their careers.

Which players will be the ones to make these big jumps in 2023? Sam Williams and Damone Clark are two second-year players who both could make major leaps in Dan Quinn’s defense. This debate centers around which breakout would have the most breakout on the fortunes of the club.

Next Men Up: These 11 Cowboys are primed to takeover big roles

The Cowboys have a ton of depth, but also a ton of pending FAs. Here’s who will look to use 2023 to springboard into more prominent roles. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It’s a dog eat dog world in the NFL. In most cases, the competition is fierce but friendly. Veterans know their job is not just to perform, but to help in the development of younger players who could eventually push them for playing time. As the goal of each player is (normally) to win as a team, the overall talent level of a club’s depth is an important part of reaching that end.

It’s not always friendly, but the camaraderie of the league in general lends itself to this mindset more often than not. For the Dallas Cowboys, that would be highly beneficial in 2023 because there’s are many veterans currently on the 90-man roster who have expiring deals and the money is earmarked for the select few big-name veterans.

While teams can use accounting magic to make anything work, the Cowboys will likely sacrifice some veterans in order to carve out big chunks of cash for Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. Here’s a look at who could be a cap casualty of that chopping of the pie, and which young players are primed to replace them.

Why double-digit sacks are perfectly realistic for Cowboys DE Sam Williams

From @ReidDHanson: Sam Williams had an impressive rookie season with the Cowboys so it stands to reason development and more snaps could bring 10+ sacks.

The Cowboys boast a deep and talented pool of players at the defensive end position. Led by All-Pro Micah Parsons and 2022 Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas has arguably the best starting duo in the NFL. Sam Williams wants to make that a trio.

Williams, the Cowboys second-round pick in 2022, burst onto the scene as Dan Quinn’s pet project of sorts. Quinn worked Williams out during the pre-draft process and banged the table for Williams when the Cowboys went on the clock at 56.

As Quinn predicted, Williams hit the ground running as a rookie, forcing his way onto the field for 273 defensive snaps en route to 22 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.

His explosion off the snap was impossible to miss and despite playing with little polish or technique, Williams found a high degree of success rushing the passer.

While fellow EDGE reserve Dorance Armstrong finished No. 2 on the Cowboys in sacks (after Parsons), Williams logged a better pressure rate (per PFF tracking), indicating his success is far more sustainable than Armstrong’s. As discussed previously this offseason, Armstrong could be in store for a regression in sacks (8.5 in 2022) and Williams is likely to challenge him for the third-most EDGE snaps in 2023.

Williams’ defensive line coach Aden Durden recently discussed his development and mentioned all the changes in Williams’ game:

“You can see that he’s learned how to develop himself and that’s not to say that we don’t develop them, but the biggest jump for Sam is he’s becoming a true professional,” Durde said of his second-year pass-rusher. “I see the work that he puts in and the structure that he’s put in off of the field…his flexibility has changed, his coordination has changed, his stance is better. The things he’s needed to work on, he’s gone out and worked on and improved.”

By the sound of the offseason, things appear to be heading in the right direction for Williams. Given the high degree of success he’s already had and his dedication to the task in 2023, big things could be in his near future.

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An underdiscussed factor working in Williams’ favor is his play against the run. Given the two best teams in the NFC have elite running games, the Cowboys made a concentrated effort to address their run deficiencies. They retained the mammoth DT Johnathan Hankins and also added DT Mazi Smith with their top pick.

What probably comes as a shock to many is Williams was one of the best run-stopping EDGE players in the NFL last season. PFF graded him in the 92nd percentile in run-stop percentage, making him and Lawrence the Cowboys best run-stopping DEs.

It stands to reason strong play against the run will earn more opportunities on defense. And if Williams can continue his progression as a pass-rusher there’s no reason to think he can’t cross that double-digit sack barrier in just his second season.

“I need 10 sacks,” Williams said during OTAs. “10 sacks will open up a lot of opportunities for me. Obviously, the team goal is to win a championship but my personal goal and what I’m working towards is getting better with my hands and I need 10 sacks.”

Opportunities will clearly be key since the Cowboys rotate Parsons, Lawrence, Armstrong, Williams, and Dante Fowler at EDGE. But if Williams can build on his top-3 pressure rate and keep his top run-stopping rate in the process, he could see his snaps explode in 2023, paving the way for double-digit sacks.

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