The Dallas Cowboys are almost done with their first week of training camp. The storylines around the team have been anything but quiet, yet that's what's expected with America's Team. There have been multiple standouts over the first few days, including a rookie who made one certain veteran expendable.
Several position battles are happening on the field, but there's one defender who couldn't hold back the tears as camp got kicked off.
On Tuesday, defensive end Sam Williams posted online how grateful and happy he was to be back on the field.
Williams wrote on Instagram, "So blessed I shed tears, man. No one understands the work, hours, dedication, and sacrifices I made to get here.”
#Cowboys Sam Williams shares his gratitude for being back on the field, a year after his season ending injury during training camp.
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) July 22, 2025
“So blessed 🙏 I shed tears man. No one understands the work, hours, dedication, sacrifices I made to get here.”
(📸: @DegarrickSamuel on IG) pic.twitter.com/jZm3WprLO5
Cowboys DE Sam Williams Was Emotional Stepping Back on the Field
Last July, Williams tore his ACL and MCL during training camp, which ended his 2024 season. That quickly landed him on injured reserve, but he's rehabbed tirelessly throughout the offseason to get back to this place.
He was able to participate in both OTAs and minicamp, but training camp is a major step forward for him.
Williams was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, and fans were pumped by his blend of speed and size off the edge. Through his first two years in Dallas, he was a rotational piece, logging at least 28% of the defensive snaps while also being on the field for special teams.
In 32 career games, he's finished with 48 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, and 8.5 sacks. In his last season on the field (2023), Williams had a 68.5 overall grade (64th among 197 graded edge defenders) and a 73.2 pass-rush grade (44th among 197 graded edge defenders), per Pro Football Focus.
While he has shown flashes, Williams does need to grow as a pass rusher and develop more consistently. Despite his traits, the Cowboys have continued to pour into that position.
During the 2024 draft, they nabbed Marshawn Kneeland in the second round and continued that trend this past April when they selected Donovan Ezeiruaku with the 44th overall pick. The rookie pass rusher has wasted no time generating pressure in practice and already looks like an immediate impact player.
That's without mentioning Micah Parsons and other guys in the edge room like Dante Fowler Jr. and Payton Turner.
There's a ton of competition at EDGE for the Cowboys, and Williams is happy to be back on the field and showcase what he can do in the final year of his rookie contract.