OXNARD, CA – The Dallas Cowboys are without one of their Defensive Ends this season after Sam Williams tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL during practice on Sunday afternoon. Williams was doing a block during a drill, planted his foot and went down on his left knee. Williams was carted off the field and taken to get an MRI which later confirmed that he tore both his ACL and partially tore his MCL.
Williams will miss the 2024 season, which was going to be a big one for him. The third year Cowboy was expected to be a big part of Dallas’s defense this year.
We spoke to defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer about the loss of Williams and he said, “We had big plans for him. He was going to play an awful lot, probably I’m guessing, 70-75 percent of the time. … We’ll just have to move some chess pieces around and try to figure out other ways to do things. … With us moving (Micah) Parsons around a little bit, (Williams) was going to be out there with Parsons and (DeMarcus Lawrence). Marshawn Kneeland has done a really nice job. He would’ve played anyway … but I think he’s gonna end up having to play a lot now.”
Rookie Marshawn Kneeland will take over for Williams as of now.
The EDGE position was already an area of concern for Dallas. Their depth in that area was lacking and now it’s really lacking with the loss of Williams. As of now Dallas is going to fill the position with Kneeland, the rookie has been playing well. The Cowboys might want to consider signing a vet as well to have more options at EDGE.
