After playing largely on the sidelines during his first two NFL seasons under Dan Quinn, defensive end Sam Williams of the Dallas Cowboys may see an uptick in activity under Mike Zimmer.
It looks like a lot of the Dallas Cowboys’ periphery and rookie players will need to step up their game this season. Sam Williams, a defensive end, is one such player. Williams, who was used sparingly by Dan Quinn in his first two NFL seasons, has a talent for pulling off incredible individual performances and then racking up expensive penalties at the worst possible moment.
In what may be a pivotal year for the defensive end, Cowboys Nation is hoping that new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will get Williams’ fundamentals in order. Williams may see a boost in snap counts now that Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong are off the field. For this reason, CBS Sports has Williams classified as an underappreciated prospect to break out in 2024.
“For a guy who received Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration in 2022, Williams often gets overshadowed by Micah Parsons and Co.,” says CBS Sports. “But after combining for eight sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits in two NFL seasons, he could be primed for more with an expanded role.” Williams has demonstrated that he is capable of helping the defense by forcing fumbles, sacking the quarterback, or making a play-breaking catch in the backfield. Now that Zimmer is in charge, there’s optimism that he will “straighten out” Williams’ lack of self-control, which was a major cause of aggravation during the previous season.
Williams won’t have a better chance to push his claim for a starting position, and training camp will give us a clear idea of where he is in the hierarchy. Williams has a great opportunity to build on his previous two years of success, but will he be a “star” for Zimmer in the upcoming campaign? Less penalties and more effective plays will do.
