Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Sam Williams’ 2024 season ended before it could even begin.
The 2022 second-round pick tore his ACL on the second day of training camp last year, but on Tuesday, Williams was able to leave the rehab group for organized team activities and participate in position group work with the defensive line.
Williams is now primed to fully return to the field. I think many forgot about how big of a return to the defensive line that Williams could be if he gets back to 100%.
By The Numbers
His first year saw him record four sacks, 22 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and nine QB hits in 15 games. He looked like he could be a really good player for a long time with the Dallas Cowboys.
Then guess what? He was suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, by just having penalty after penalty, and, of course, the tearing of his ACL, but that I think actually helped him in a way.
I think he is motivated now to be great, but the issue is, the Cowboys defensive end room might not be the BEST, but they have a ton of depth.
Dallas ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed last season. Better health from Williams and maybe Trevon Diggs, if they can get him to return week one like he has hinted at will help the team’s efforts to improve in that respect, and both should be available for at least most of the coming campaign.
Williams is going to battle against the likes of Marshawn Kneeland, Soloman Thomas, and rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku for extra snaps as an edge rusher.
A name to not forget about is Payton Turner, another former first round pick.
I will keep an eye on how this shapes out this summer, but take a look at the video from Twitter below. Yes, I understand it is a minicamp and I am not going to overblown it, but look at how fast Williams gets off the snap.
https://twitter.com/Stephen_Mac03/status/1933133010179678262
Tell me that does not look like a guy who just tore his ACL, it looks like a guy who hasn’t missed an entire season due to injury.
It will be fun to see how all these guys battle and who ends up getting snaps. I really like all of them, but Thomas, Williams and Kneeland are my three that I think should be the first to get snaps in 2025.
a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s the first thing Sam Williams needs to do is make sure he’s fully healthy from that ACL injury because it takes two years to recover and rehab and a player sometimes lose their speed and quickness also
Williams is indeed a stud D’ Lineman, I watched him close in 23. Talk about quick and powerful WOW! if he is really healed, he will be a stud in 2025. Looking forward to it.
Go Boys!!
I think Marshawn Kneeland will definitely get plenty of snaps, he was drafted to be the next D Law, and now that he’s gone, Kneeland will be taking his place!! He’s more of a run stopper than a pass rusher, so that’s why I think he’ll get plenty of snaps!! But Thomas, he’s gonna be playing the 3 tech!! He’ll be Osa’s backup, so that will open up another spot for another edge rusher!! And I think Turner will get that spot!! I think Payton, Sam, Marshawn and Donovan will all make the team, Marshawn and Donovan are pretty much guaranteed to make it, along with Micah, but we’ll need depth and since there’s really nobody else worth mentioning, Sam Williams and Payton Turner will make the team as depth pieces for when Micah and Fowler need breaks and in case somebody gets injured!! So I think our edge group will be
Micah Parsons
Donte Fowler
Marshawn Kneeland
Donovan Ezeiruaku
Sam Williams
Payton Turner
That’s a really good group of edge rushers in my opinion!!
And our DT group will be
(3 tech)
Osa (not even gonna attempt to spell his last name)
Solomon Thomas
(1 tech/nose tackle)
Mazi Smith
Jay Toia
I think I spelled the rookies name right!? That’s 10 linemen I think make the team, but they mite add one more that can play both DT positions, maybe the other 7th round rookie…. Who knows, maybe they just keep 10!! And if they do, the 10 I just named off are who I think make the team!!
I’m getting older now. I used to go to games and see Bob Lilly take over a game. See them put five guys on him to stop him, and with one hand he’d be slinging them out of the way. As a kid, I remember the old Cotton Bowl, and Don Meredith. Us kids could run on the field after the game, and get our programs signed. I ran up to Mr. Meredith and he had a blood splotch and a tear in his jersey. His rib bones were sticking out. He’d been playing with his ribs sticking out. There’s no doubt in my mind, Don Meredith was the toughest player that’s ever played in the NFL.