Dallas Cowboys lose defensive end Sam Williams for the rest of the season, source says

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Before the Dallas Cowboys held their first padded practice of training camp, their defense suffered a major blow after center Sam Williams tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, a source told ESPN on Sunday.

The injury ends Williams’ season before it even begins.

Williams was injured during a team practice session after participating in a blocking drill. He remained on the ground for several minutes while the Cowboys’ medical staff tended to him. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg when he was placed on a cart and taken to the locker room.

After practice, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said, “We didn’t like what we saw,” before Williams headed out for an MRI.

The Cowboys were counting on Williams to be a key part of their passing attack behind DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons. In free agency, Dorrance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. joined former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn with the Washington Commanders.

They collected 11.5 sacks last year.

Williams totaled 8.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He was third on the team in sacks with 4.5 in 2023, but played just 28.3% of the snaps on defense. The Cowboys selected Williams in the second round in 2022 out of Ole Miss.

The Cowboys selected Marshawn Neyland in the second round this year and have been impressed with his early work in training camp.

“He’s an impressive player,” coach Mike McCarthy said before Sunday’s practice. “He’s a very impressive player. He’s very mature. I like his physicality and his mobility, just like we did during the selection process. He’s had a good start. He’s very comfortable, he’s picking up his skills in the classroom. He’s got an outward personality, which is important. He’s had a good start.”

The Cowboys have full-time defensive linemen Viliami Fehoko Jr., Tyrus Waite and Dorrell Johnson in camp, but they didn’t score a goal last year. Chauncey Golston can play both linebacker and defensive back, and he scored 1.5 goals last season.