Two weeks ago, when the Cowboys were coming off a dramatic win over the Texans on the road, star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, the best player and leader of the team’s defense, approached Dak Prescott after the game. Prescott had led a late touchdown drive to earn the 34-30 win, one in which Houston had run roughshod over the Cowboys defense at every level. It was only Prescott’s brilliance that saved the team from a defeat and Williams, recognizing that, told Prescott, “We’re gonna get better. We’re gonna get better, bro,” he said.
That was Week 5. Four days late, the Cowboys played on Thursday night against the Buccaneers, a winless team starting an undrafted rookie at quarterback. They were not better. Neither was Prescott, and the Cowboys lost, 24-16.
Quinnen Williams Disappointing for Cowboys Defense
In looking for culprits for the embarrassing failure of the Cowboys defense, which was the subject of the team’s entire offseason rebuild starting with the hiring of coordinator Christian Parker, the finger has been pointed at Parker, and at coach Brian Schottenheimer, and at a front office that did not do enough this winter to address obvious flaws. But Williams should not be excluded.
Individually and a as a leader, he has not lived up to his reputation as an All-Pro and one of the best defensive linemen in the game. Williams has been ranked in the Top 4 in his position by Pro Football Focus in three of the last four years. This year, he rated No. 75 in the NFL after Week 5.
‘Quinnen Williams Starting to Slip’
That was a topic of discussion on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, as the hunt for who to blame for the Cowboys’ defensive mess is ratcheted up.
Host RJ Choppy pointed out that Williams is among the culprits: “Let’s be honest about it, Quinnen Williams was starting to slip out of the No. 1, No. 2 defensive tackle conversation in the league. Not saying he wasn’t still very good, but, Quinnen Williams had been put up there, like, in an upper echelon class but he, for a couple of years, had stopped being talked about as the No. 1 or 2.”
Cowboys Shelled Out in Draft Capital, Contract
That’s not great, considering the Cowboys gave up a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and a second-rounder in 2026, to get Williams. They also forked over a $106 million extension this summer. Bobby Belt, the Cowboys beat reporter for the station, noted they’re not getting their money’s worth.
Belt said: “Quinnen Williams, when you are acquiring Quinnen Williams, you’re making a move that you think will definitely be good for us. Some of this is just, there is an inexplicable nature to some of this. … I think he looked like it last year when he got here. Like, when he first got here, he was really, really good last year in the back half of the year. But it’s been inconsistent for him.
“There’s been a couple different times where, it’s like he played well or he came up with a big play. But it’s just not good enough, often enough.”
Cowboys Star Hit With Blame for Massive Disappointment