The Dallas Cowboys paid a pretty penny to acquire Quinnen Williams in the middle of last year. The hope is that the return on investment is better in 2026.
By his own admission, Williams didn’t have his most impressive year in 2025. In 15 games total, he generated 2.5 sacks, 53 tackles, an INT, three forced fumbles and 12 QB hits. He hasn’t had that low a number of sacks since his rookie season in 2019. After joining the Cowboys midway through the year, he put up 1.5 sacks, 21 tackles, 9 QB hits and an INT in seven games.
“[I want to] continue to learn and grow every single year,” Williams said via the team’s official website. “I didn’t have my best year when it came down to it, statistically, as a pass rusher last year. I wanna be better. I wanna do better, and not for myself, but for this team.
“And I know I can be better.”
For the Cowboys’ revamped defense to significantly improve, Williams must return to his dominant ways, controlling the middle of the defense, penetrating the backfield and generally causing havoc in the middle of offenses.
Williams believes new DC Christian Parker is setting him up to have a sensational season.
“You know, Christian Parker, man, it’s just amazing to be around a guy who’s won at a high level everywhere he’s been,” Williams said. “And who’s been around for a little minute on some great defenses with some great people, and just getting to learn from him in his philosophy. … From the defensive scheme and the defensive mindset, he’s extremely smart when it comes down to the defense of how he sees the game.
“It opened my eyes on when I could take my shots, when I can do certain things, and constructive criticism from what he sees, and what I need to work on from his point of view. And [also] what he feels like I can do better from his point of view — the respect that he has for me to respect I have for him.”
The 28-year-old returning to his All-Pro ways would be a massive piece of the Cowboys’ turnaround puzzle — one Dallas was counting on when it shipped out two high draft picks to acquire the star DT.
Leave a Reply