The Dallas Cowboys are one of a handful of NFL teams that have suffered incredible losses to key players due to injury. No further proof is needed other than watching the game at Pittsburgh and seeing the fifth and sixth defensive ends on the depth chart playing the majority of the game.
They also started their fifth string cornerback opposite Diggs on Sunday night, and Amani Oruwariye did a superb job helping to hold the Steelers’ passing attack to 134 yards. Wide receivers George Pickens, Van Jefferson, and Calvin Austin III combined for just 58 yards on seven receptions.
That backup magic will have to continue for the next few weeks while Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Marshawn Kneeland join the previously injured Sam Williams on the bench.
In response to Kneeland’s injury during the Steelers game, the Cowboys brought in a handful of defensive ends for a workout. With WR Brandin Cooks also out for a few weeks, a couple of wide receivers were also at The Star for evaluation.
Here is the list of players invited to the Cowboys’ facility on Tuesday, including a surprise quarterback to throw to the wide receivers:
- QB Max Duggan
- WR Denzel Mims
- WR Dante Pettis
- WR Chad Cota
- WR Seth Williams
- DE Luiji Vilain
- DE Shaka Toney
From this list, the Cowboys decided to sign WR Seth Williams and DE Luiji Vilain to the practice squad ahead of the week 6 matchup versus the Detroit Lions.
Let’s take a look at the two new signees, their path to Dallas, and how they can contribute to the offensive and defensive rotation.
WR Seth Williams
WR Seth Williams was a 6th round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Williams was likely brought in because he possesses something the Cowboys don’t currently have in their wide receiver room: size.
Williams stands at 6’3″ tall and 211 lbs, and provides height and length that the Cowboys have not supplemented their wide receiver corps with.
Career
Seth Williams has only spent one season on an NFL active roster, and in that season, only appeared in two games. He caught one pass for 34 yards, and that remains the only reception of his career.
The former Auburn Tiger was released by the Broncos after his rookie season, and moved on to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, where he spent the entire 2022 season.
Jacksonville, impressed with Williams’ time on the practice squad, signed him to a reserve/future contract, but ultimately waived him at the end of August 2024.
How Does He Fit?
Williams’ size might get him some looks in practice, but I don’t expect him to crack the active game day roster at any point unless the Cowboys get desperate.
Here is the depth chart with Brandin Cooks on injured reserve:
- CeeDee Lamb
- Jalen Tolbert
- KaVontae Turpin
- Jalen Brooks
- Ryan Flournoy
That also doesn’t count the other wide receivers already on the practice squad that he would have to leapfrog. Names like Jalen Cropper and Kelvin Harmon.
Williams has the size and traits to be a redzone threat, an area the Cowboys could sorely use a weapon, but he hasn’t put it all together yet.
DE Luiji Vilain
Despite returning DE Shaka Toney for a second workout this offseason, the Cowboys decided to give a practice squad spot to Luiji Vilain.
Career
Luiji Vilain is a third year player who has spent the first part of his career with the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers.
Minnesota signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022 out of Wake Forest University. Vilain appeared in just four games with the Vikings before remaining inactive the rest of the season.
The Carolina Panthers picked him up in the middle of the 2023 season, but he was soon put on injured reserve, and eventually released before the start of the 2024 season. After a couple of weeks on the Cleveland Browns practice squad, Vilain was released from there as well.
How Does He Fit?
Right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vilain is made active as early as the San Francisco game, depending on how Micah Parsons is progressing with his injury.
Vilain has been mostly a special teams player in the five games he has played in since landing in Minnesota. He could help replace special teams snaps lost with Kneeland out, but that’s probably the extent of his reach.
He is not a polished pass rusher to be able to bring him in on pass downs, and the Cowboys may choose to activate extra at another position instead of defensive end, leaving Vilain out of the fold.
I expect he will be a heavy contributor to the practice squad, and being called up to the active roster would take a series of circumstances that might never occur.