Cowboys Find Sam Williams Replacement In Trade With NFC East Rivals

The Dallas Cowboys have been looking for a way to replace talented young defender Sam Williams who suffered a season-ending knee injury. The former second-round pick was expected to take a significant step forward but he had to be put on injured reserve list last week. This hurt the Cowboys' depth at the defensive line, especially after previous departures in the offseason.

Dallas used a second-round pick on Marshawn Kneeland in the 2024 NFL Draft but it was obvious that more help was needed. Shaka Toney was tried earlier this week but he also suffered an injury, resulting in his release.

So, the Cowboys executed a trade with an NFC East rival to bring in veteran help to bolster the defensive depth. Josina Anderson first reported the news that the Cowboys are trading a 2026 sixth-round pick for Jordan Phillips of the New York Giants and a seventh-round pick.

Cowboys News: Dallas Trades For DL Jordan Phillips

Phillips is a nine-year veteran who is primarily used as a defensive tackle. However, he has played at defensive end in multiple stretches during his career. In 2019, he even recorded 9.5 sacks in 16 games for the Buffalo Bills.

This gives the Cowboys valuable versatility. Phillips could be used on the interior as a backup to Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa as he has significant nose tackle experience. He could also add depth to the defensive end rotation that already has Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Chauncey Golston, and rookie Kneeland.

The 31-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Bills, appearing in 26 games (10 starts), and registering 35 tackles, 11 QB hits, and four sacks. He had signed with the Giants back in April but is now traded away before he could make an appearance in New York.

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