Cowboys Zeroing In On 4 Potential Sam Williams Replacements Following Training Camp Injury
By Cem Yolbulan
The disappointing Dallas Cowboys offseason took an even bleaker turn on Sunday when their talented edge-rusher Sam Williams suffered a torn ACL in practice. Entering his third season, the former second-round pick of the Cowboys was slated to play a huge role in the pass rush along with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer had said that Williams was going to play 70 to 75 percent of the defensive snaps this year after playing 28% in 2023. Now, the Cowboys need rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland to step up. At the same time, they are looking at a few veteran pass rushers to add depth to the squad.
According to ESPN reporter Todd Archer, Dallas is working out four defenders during training camp on Thursday; Carl Lawson, Justin Hollins, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Shaka Toney.
Cowboys Working Out Sam Williams Replacements Ahead of Preseason
In addition to Carl Lawson, I’m told the Cowboys are scheduled to work out Justin Hollins,
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 1, 2024
Al-Quadin Muhammad, Shaka Toney on Thursday.
The mutual interest between Lawson and the Cowboys was previously reported as the 29-year-old defender posted on social media hinting at a potential reunion with the Cowboys defensive run game coordinator Paul Guenther, whom he was with in Cincinnati in 2017.
Justin Hollins spent last season with the Packers, Giants, and the Chargers, appearing in a total of 12 games.
Shaka Toney was drafted by the Commanders in the 2021 NFL Draft and played in 26 games for Washington before being suspended indefinitely by the league for betting in 2023. He was reinstated in the spring and is now ready to return to action.
Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts last summer, was suspended for six games without pay by the NFL for violating the league policy on PEDs. He became a free agent after the 2023 season.
The Cowboys have their first preseason game against the LA Rams on August 11. They hope to bring in a suitable replacement for Williams before then to see if they can crack the rotation for Week 1.
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