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Could Sam Williams‘ days with the Dallas Cowboys be numbered? The Cowboys edge has yet to really gel in Matt Eberflus’ defense, and things may be lining up for the team to move on from him. Williams is on an expiring rookie deal, he’s had limited production after a torn ACL and now, with a suddenly crowded edge rotation, he’s is starting to look less like a long-term piece and more like a potential trade candidate. Garrett Podell of CBS Sports thinks so, naming Williams one of the team’s most likely candidates to be moved before the November 4 deadline. “Williams is a pending free agent, and he’s got potential given his pedigree — being drafted in the second round (56th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft,” Podell wrote on October 29. “However, Dallas drafted an edge rusher in Donovan Ezeiruaku in the 2025 draft’s second round, and offseason free agency acquisition James Houston leads Dallas with 3.5 sacks. Williams, who is still just 26 years old, could be a nice rotation piece for a contender.” A Look Back at Williams’ Tenure in Dallas So Far Drafted 56th overall in 2022 out of Ole Miss, the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Williams entered the league with loads of buzz. He played with a physical streak that jumped out, and he had a solid rookie campaign. He recorded 4.0 sacks in Year 1 despite limited snaps and followed up with 4.5 more in 2023. Unfortunately, a torn ACL and MCL in July of 2024 cost him all of last season. Now, eight games into his 2025 campaign, Williams has just 1.0 sacks, three tackles-for-loss and three quarterback hits. His rookie deal, worth $6.53 million over four years, per Spotrac, expires after this season. That leaves Dallas with a seemingly easy decision: Extend him after he hasn’t hit his ceiling, or trade him for draft capital before losing him for nothing. The Cowboys also have options at edge after spending a second-round pick on Donovan Ezeiruaku, and re-signing Dante Fowler Jr. They also have Houston and continue to work in Marshawn Kneeland, who has as many sacks as Williams does this season. More on Why the Dallas Cowboys Might Trade Edge Sam Williams Before the 2025 Deadline If Williams’ role continues to shrink, a trade would add a future draft pick while also clearing a spot for younger, cheaper talent. The return might not be flashy — a Day 3 pick, perhaps — but it’s better than letting him walk for nothing in March. There are plenty of teams who could use pass rushing help — the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills all come to mind — so Williams would likely have plenty of suitors. He’s still just 25 years old, with legitimate burst and an early career track record of getting home when healthy. It remains to be seen whether Jerry Jones and company decide to put Williams on the trade block, but all things considered, it might be one of the more likely scenarios for the Cowboys heading into the 2025 deadline.
