Sam Williams Injury News & Updates

Williams logged five tackles (three solo) during the Cowboys' 24-20 loss to the Eagles on Thursday.

Williams missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL during training camp, so Thursday's game marked his first regular-season game since Jan. 7, 2024 against the Commanders. He played 39 of 63 defensive snaps (61.9 percent) which was more than fellow defensive ends Marshawn Kneeland (30), Dante Fowler (27) and Donovan Ezeiruaku (22). Williams and the Cowboys will head home to Dallas to host their NFC East rival Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Williams (knee) said Thursday that he feels "fantastic," Jon Machota of The Athletic reports. "It feels like I never had an injury. I've put in the work. I feel great. Fantastic. No soreness. No aches. I'm running. I'm hitting 22 miles per hour, at 260 (pounds). That should tell you everything," Williams stated.

Williams didn't play at all last season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his left knee during training camp. The Ole Miss product had been slated for an important rotational role along Dallas' defensive line after logging 8.5 sacks over 32 regular-season games during his first two NFL campaigns. Per Todd Archer of ESPN.com, Williams has participated in initial training-camp practices, and he was pulled from the team's initial session Tuesday after laying a couple big hits on teammates. All signs point to Williams being ready for Week 1 of the campaign, and he's a favorite -- though not an absolute lock -- to nab a roster spot.

Williams (knee) appears "close to a full return" after moving well during OTAs on Thursday, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The defensive end tore his ACL and MCL during training camp last August and did not play in 2024. While he was only participating with a rehab group Thursday, he seems like he should be ready for this year's training camp. Williams, a 2022 second-round pick, has yet to start a game in his NFL career, though he did play in 35 contests between the regular season and playoffs over his first two seasons, recording 48 total tackles (30 solo), including 8.5 sacks.

The NFL lifted Williams' (knee) suspension Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Williams' three-game suspension without pay was cut short Monday, as the NFL lifted it after just two contests. However, the third-year pro from Ole Miss will remain on injured reserve and be sidelined for the rest of the year after tearing his ACL in training camp.

Williams (knee) was suspended Monday for three games without pay for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Williams is already on IR and out for the season due to a torn ACL suffered during training camp. However, he'll still officially move to the league's reserve/suspended list and lose three games' worth of salary due to the suspension.

The Cowboys placed Williams (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Williams tore the ACL in his left knee July 28, and the 2022 second-round pick will shift his focus on recovering from his surgical procedure. With Williams out for the 2023 season, the Cowboys signed Al-Quadin Muhammad and Shaka Toney to compete with Tyrus Wheat, Marshawn Kneeland, Durrell Johnson and Viliami Fehoko for backup spots at defensive end behind starters Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

Williams (knee) sustained a straightforward ACL tear Sunday, Jane Slater of NFL Network reports.

Williams is "very disappointed" after suffering the injury, having high hopes for the 2024 campaign. The defensive lineman will undergo surgery performed by Dr. Dan Cooper, and NFL players typically recover from the procedure within nine to 12 months. Williams will now focus on being ready for training camp next summer.

Williams (knee) sustained a straightforward ACL tear Sunday, Jane Slater of NFL Network reports.

Williams is "very disappointed" after suffering the injury, having high hopes for the 2024 campaign. The defensive lineman will undergo surgery by Dr. Dan Cooper and NFL players typically recover from the procedure within 9-to-12 months. Williams will now focus on attempting to be ready for training camp next summer.

Williams (knee) suffered a torn ACL in his left knee Sunday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.

Williams will have his 2024 campaign end before it can even begin, suffering the season-ending injury prior to his third year in the NFL. The 25-year-old was set to step into a primary role on the Cowboys' defensive line, but he'll now be forced to shift his focus to recovering from the ACL injury in anticipation of training camp next season. With Williams done for the year, rookie Marshawn Kneeland may be thrust into a substantial workload in his place.

Williams, who was carted off the field during practice Sunday, is feared to have torn his ACL and will have an MRI to confirm, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

It's a brutal blow for Williams, who was expected to see an increased role at edge rusher behind DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons after Dorance Armstrong signed with the Commanders in free agency. If the MRI confirms a torn ACL, Williams will shift his focus on recovery and returning healthy for the beginning of the 2025 season. 2024 second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland figures to be the next man up to take over Williams' backup role at edge rusher, while Tyrus Wheat and Viliami Fehoko will compete for a depth spot at that position.

Williams was carted off the field after injuring his left knee during practice Sunday, Jane Slater of NFL Network reports.

Williams went down in a lot of pain after coming off a block during a drill, and after staying on the ground for several minutes, he was eventually helped onto a cart by teammates and medical staff. It looks to be a brutal blow for Williams, who showed improvement in his second year in the NFL as he finished 2023 with 26 tackles (15 solo), including 4.5 sacks, and one forced fumble while playing all 17 regular-season games. The 2022 second-round pick out of Ole Miss was set to provide crucial depth at edge rusher behind DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons after Dorance Armstrong signed with the Commanders in free agency.

Williams recorded 26 tackles (15 solo) including 4.5 sacks while adding a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games in 2023.

A second-round pick in 2022, Williams split his time between the pass rush and punt-blocking duties, seeing 287 snaps on defense and 295 on special teams, and he made an impact in each area. The Ole Miss hasn't had a chance to really shine as an edge rusher yet in the NFL, but his time could be coming in 2024 -- Dorance Armstrong, who piled up 16.0 sacks over the last two seasons, will likely depart in free agency, leaving a vacancy as the primary pass-rushing complement to Micah Parsons.

Williams recorded three tackles (two solo), one sack and one forced fumble during Sunday's 28-23 loss to the Eagles.

Williams played just 19 percent of defensive snaps during Sunday's narrow divisional loss, his second-lowest snap share of the season, but he nonetheless made an impact with a sack of Jalen Hurts in the first quarter. Though Hurts managed to recover his own fumble, Williams was able to showcase a spark and could begin pushing for an increased rotational role. The 2022 second-round pick's next chance to make an impact will come Week 10 versus the Giants.

Williams (foot) is active for Sunday's game against the Giants.

Williams missed Wednesday's practice due to turf toe but was a full participant Friday. Although he was questionable for the matchup, he'll be able to play through the issue in the regular-season opener.

Williams (foot) was a full participant in practice Friday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Williams appears to be trending in the right direction to play Sunday night after missing practice Wednesday due to turf toe. The 2022 second-round pick will still carry a questionable designation for now despite practicing fully, and if he's not good to go Viliami Fehoko will likely see increased playing time.

Williams (foot) was a limited participant at practice Thursday ahead of Sunday's game at the Giants, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

It's a step in the right direction for Williams after he missed practice entirely Wednesday. It's still unclear whether he'll be healthy enough to play in Week 1, however, and if he misses time, it could mean an increase in edge reps for fourth-round rookie Viliami Fehoko.

Williams (foot) was unavailable for the Cowboys' practice Wednesday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Williams is dealing with a foot injury and he was unable to practice to open up the week. The defensive end still has two days to return to the practice field ahead of the team's regular season opener Sunday versus the Giants.

Williams (toe) did not participate in practice Thursday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Williams exited Wednesday's practice with turf toe, though the injury doesn't appear serious. The 2022 second-round pick out of Ole Miss finished his rookie season with 22 tackles (15 solo), four sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 15 games.

Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones doesn't expect Williams to face any league discipline this season after his arrest Sunday, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports. "I don't anticipate this impacting his time on the field, and I do have all the details," Jones said Wednesday.

The second-year edge rusher faces a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon and a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, with the substance in question being less than one gram of THC. While Williams could draw a suspension from the NFL at some point for violation of its personal conduct policy -- especially after he was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving in January -- the league prefers to wait until the legal process has concluded before handing down any discipline, and the timing of his arrest likely means that won't happen until the season is over. Williams, a second-round pick in 2022, racked up four sacks in 15 games as a rookie and figures to see plenty of favorable matchups along the line while offenses are focused on containing Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

Williams was arrested Sunday on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The Cowboys have yet to comment on Williams' arrest, and it's clear yet if he'll face any punishment from the team. The 24-year-old was also charged with misdemeanor reckless driving in January.

Williams recorded the Cowboys' only sack of Geno Smith during Saturday's preseason loss to the Seahawks, Jon Machota and Saad Yousef of The Athletic report.

The second-year defensive end showed some slick moves as he faked a speed rush around Seattle's starting left tackle Charles Cross, then adjusted and drove straight past the lineman to bring down Smith. The Ole Miss product doesn't yet have the reputation of Micah Parsons or DeMarcus Lawrence as a pass rusher, but Williams recorded four sacks on only 264 defensive snaps as a rookie, and with offenses focused on slowing down the two bigger names in the Dallas front seven, he could be primed for a big season.

Williams (shoulder) appears to be back to full health after fully participating at the Cowboys' Monday practice.

Williams missed the last few practices due to a shoulder strain. His return saw him creat pressure on a few occasions during the combo drills and full team work. The 24-year-old is again expected to provide depth at defensive end for Dallas in the upcoming season.

Williams strained his shoulder during Dallas' practice Monday, David Moore of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The defensive end needs to go through tests before the length of his absence is determined. The 2022 second-round pick played in 15 games last season and posted 22 tackles, four sacks and three fumble recoveries. Williams will likely provide depth again this season behind starting defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.

Williams left practice early Monday after suffering a shoulder injury, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The severity of the injury is not yet known, but Williams will continue to be evaluated, according to Gehlken. The second-year pro figures to be an important part of Dallas' depth on the defensive line, after his four-sack rookie season. He'll now focus on getting healthy and returning to the practice field.

Williams doesn't have an injury designation for Thursday's matchup against the Titans, Jane Slater of NFL Network reports.

Williams missed the team's Week 16 win over Philadelphia due to neck stiffness and a few cuts on his face steaming from a car accident last Thursday. However, he said Monday that he expected to play Thursday, and he's officially been cleared for game action. Across 13 appearances, the rookie second-round pick has totaled 20 tackles and three sacks while playing a rotational role in Dallas secondary.

Williams expects to suit up Thursday against the Titans after he suffered a few facial lacerations from a car accident Dec. 22, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Although Williams missed Saturday's game versus Philadelphia due to both neck stiffness and a few cuts on his face he sustained in a car accident last Thursday, it's since been revealed that he didn't suffer a concussion and now anticipates playing Week 17 in Tennessee. The rookie is slated to continue operating in his usual rotational role on Dallas' defensive line.

Williams won't be available for Saturday's game against the Eagles due to a concussion and a strained neck, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Williams suffered the pair of injuries after he was involved in vehicle collision Thursday. Considering the fact that the Cowboys play the Titans on Thursday night in Week 17, Williams looks like he could be in line to miss two games due to the injuries. In Williams' absence, Dante Fowler and Takkarist McKinley could see added opportunities in the Cowboys' defensive-end rotation.

Williams (knee) was a full participant in practice Wednesday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Williams missed Dallas' Week 8 win over the Bears, but he appears to have regained health during the Cowboys' Week 9 bye. His return to practice indicates that Williams is on track to suit up Sunday in Green Bay.

Williams (knee) is inactive Sunday against the Bears, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Williams was considered questionable after not being able to practice until Friday this week. In his absence, Dante Fowler and Chauncey Golston will likely see extra opportunity.

Williams recorded two sacks among his three tackles in Sunday's win over the Lions.

While Micah Parsons (who also picked up his seventh sack of the season Sunday) and DeMarcus Lawrence get most of the attention in the Cowboys' pass rush, Williams is increasingly coming on as the rookie gets acclimated to the NFL. His two sacks of Jared Goff were the first of his career, and on the second one he also forced and recovered a fumble, setting Dallas up for their final touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter. With offensive lines forced to focus on the disruptive Parsons, Williams could emerge as a deep-league IDP asset in the second half of the season.

The Cowboys selected Williams in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 56th overall.

Williams is incredibly athletic, boasting a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 261 pounds, and he was a productive pass-rushing specialist at Mississippi. He likely fell this far because he was arrested in 2020 on a felony sexual battery charge, though that was eventually dropped and his place on the Mississippi roster reinstated. In Dallas, he'll serve as yet another sizable, athletic defender in the front seven and provide a pass-rushing replacement for free-agent departure Randy Gregory.