Cowboys Key Pass-Rusher Likely Lost for Season After ACL Tear

Getty Images Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams suffered a torn ACL during camp on Sunday.

The Dallas Cowboys have likely lost Sam Williams for the year after the 25-year-old pass-rusher went down with a knee injury during training camp.

Williams suffered the injury on Sunday, July 28, during camp in Oxnard. He was engaged in a block during a special teams drill before grabbing his left knee and being carted off the field.

“Cowboys DE Sam Williams is feared to have torn his ACL in practice today,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported. “He’ll have an MRI to confirm. A tough blow early in camp.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team “didn’t like what we saw” when Williams went down, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The team later confirmed Williams’s torn ACL.

Williams was the Cowboys’ second-round pick in 2022. He quickly earned a spot in the rotation and has been a key contributor alongside Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

Williams has 8.5 sacks over the last two seasons and has played about a third of the snaps on the defensive side of the ball. He’s also a contributor on special teams.

Cowboys Need Rookie Marshawn Kneeland to Step Up

With Williams sidelined, the Cowboys will rely more on rookie Marshawn Kneeland to help fill the void. Kneeland played his college ball at Western Michigan and was selected in the second round (No. 56 overall). He had 148 tackles and 13 sacks during his college career.

“The number one thing about him is the high effort and motor that he plays with,” Cowboys VP of Player Personnel Will McClay said after selecting Kneeland in April. “Then to be talented, physically talented enough to play at this level. We noticed him early on.

“We’ve talked about it before, as hard as DLaw [DeMarcus Lawrence] played at Boise State, there are some similarities there. That is what we thought about him.”

Other pass-rushers who could be in the mix include Viliami Fehoko Jr., Tyrus Wheat and Durrell Johnson.

Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence Heading Into Final Year of Contract

The Cowboys have some contract decisions to make in the coming seasons, particularly with their pass-rushers. Lawrence, a four-time Pro Bowler, is heading into the final year of his contract with the Cowboys.

Lawrence is a solid piece for the Cowboys with 58.5 career sacks. However, he hasn’t had double-digit sacks since the 2018 season.

The Cowboys also have to figure out Parsons’s future. He’s under contract through the 2025 season but is looking for an extension that will make him among the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the league.

“To be honest with you, I always told you guys, the contract stuff will always take care of itself,” Parsons said on July 26. “Winning games is what I need to take care of. I focus on winning games and making plays and getting sacks. Jerry [Jones] could meet up with [my] agent later and they handle all that other stuff. I don’t know how that goes. I’m on my first deal, and I know I got two years left here, so I’m going to try to maximize those as much as possible.”

The Cowboys open the regular season on September 8 against the Cleveland Browns.