With defensive end Sam Williams out for the season, the Dallas Cowboys are exploring their options to add another pass rusher to their defense. Williams, who was expected to have a bigger impact in his third year, suffered a torn ACL and MCL during practice.
The Cowboys already lost defensive ends Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler this offseason, so a pass rusher going down is a significant blow. The team now needs to fill the space behind defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and linebacker Micah Parsons.
Dallas is working out veteran pass rushers to replace Williams, according to ESPN. Their options reportedly include veteran Carl Lawson, who has a connection to the team. Lawson and current Cowboys defensive run game coordinator Paul Guenther were together with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017.
Lawson appears to be interested in joining the Cowboys, as he posted a star emoji on social media not long after Williams went down. He doesn’t mention Dallas by name, but tweeting its logo makes the message seem clear.
The 29-year-old has 119 tackles, 28 of those for a loss, 27 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in his career with the Bengals and New York Jets. He most recently was with the Jets, playing in six games in 2023, with no starts and five combined tackles.
Defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, could end up having a larger role than initially thought this year.
Williams was gearing up for his third season in the NFL, all with the Cowboys, before the injury. The 25-year-old played in 11 games last season, with 17 combined tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble.
