The first weekend of Dallas Cowboys training camp did not go the way any of us probably hoped. If you haven’t heard by now, Sam Williams tore his ACL and part of his MCL.
The promising pass rusher was going to be a key player within the Cowboys defensive line in 2024. He was participating in special teams drills when he went down.
My first thought was, why was he part of that unit anyway?
Williams was supposed to be a solid player on the defensive line under Mike Zimmer this season, so I just don’t understand why he would be running with the special teams unit.
This team already has a depth problem after losing a handful of guys via free agency this offseason. They just can’t seem to catch a break before a season starts.
They lost both Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown a year ago before the season started.
Now they lose Williams, and that could mean increased reps for the younger guys, but I looked around and found some players that they could possibly bring in from the outside.
Carl Lawson
The first player that came to mind was Carl Lawson. He is a guy who can get after the quarterback and is good enough to stop the run.
Lawson has played a total of 73 games. During his career, he has tallied 27 sacks, 150 pressures, and 83 quarterback hits.
His biggest flaw is staying on the field. He only played six games a year ago, and in 2021 he didn’t play at all.
Lawson has only played every game twice in his career, but he could be a helpful piece and might be worth the risk depending on what Jerry would spend, considering he won’t even pay his top guys now.
If he can prove he is healthy and give the Cowboys a good amount of snaps, he would probably be the cheapest out of the three I’ll mention here.
Yannick Ngakoue
As a Cowboys fan from the Midwest, a player I got to see a bunch last season is Yannick Ngakoue.
He played 13 games for the Chicago Bears last season. He finished with four sacks, 34 pressures, and eight quarterback hits. He is solid in run defense, finishing with six tackles for loss.
Ngakoue is a veteran who knows the game well, playing a total of 123 games thus far in his career.
Ngakoue would be able to step into a team and also be a helpful leader on defense. He goes about his business.
His best year came in 2017, when he earned a Pro Bowl selection, thanks to his 12 sacks and league-leading six forced fumbles.
Shaq Lawson
A name everyone should know is Shaq Lawson, and if I had to guess, he or Ngakoue would be the two to keep an eye on.
Lawson has been known as a run-stuffer for most of his time in the NFL. He was drafted in the first round in 2016, but never really peaked. He has played over 100 games and has 130 pressures, and 67 quarterback hits.
I think he has plenty left in the tank if given a chance.
If this team is looking to bring in a body to replace Sam Williams, the three above are the guys I would call if I was Dallas.
The problem is Jerry will feed us and tell everyone that he loves his guys, and we’ll have to watch guys like Tyrus Wheat struggle for most of the year. This will open up a bigger chance for Marshawn Kneeland, who I am pretty hyped to see in action.
It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys will sign someone after doing nothing this offseason. This gives them every reason to do so. They have no depth now.