Cowboys lose key pass rusher Sam Williams for season with torn ACL, MCL

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams will miss the upcoming season with a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee.

Williams suffered the injury in practice Sunday. The Cowboys confirmed the diagnosis Sunday evening and that Williams will require orthoscopic surgery. The news is a blow to the Cowboys pass rush and a setback for the third-year player who’s had a promising start to his career.

Williams joined the Cowboys as a second-round pick out of Mississippi in the 2021 NFL draft. He recorded four sacks and 22 tackles in 15 games as a rookie, earning votes for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Williams tallied 4.5 sacks and 26 tackles as a reserve last season while playing in all 17 Cowboys games. He finished with the third-most sacks on the team as a key rotational player in the Cowboys pass rush. All-Pro Micah Parsons led the team with 14 sacks in 2023.

Free agency departures opened up bigger role for Williams

Dorance Armstrong Jr. finished second on the team with seven sacks last season and joined the Washington Commanders in free agency. Backup defensive end Dante Fowler, who recorded four sacks last season, also left to join the Commanders, who are coached by former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Their exit opened up opportunity the Cowboys were banking on Williams to help fill. With training camp underway, the Cowboys will now be forced to look elsewhere to help fill that void.

Per the Cowboys, Williams sustained the injury while blocking during a special teams drill. He required help up from the ground and couldn’t put weight on his left leg. Williams will start and end the season on injured reserve.