Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: EDGE Sam Williams

Last year, Williams’ return was caught up in the mess of Matt Eberflus’ defense. While he did play all 17 games and even start five, Williams only managed one sack. By the end of the year his share of the defensive snaps was dropping. But it wasn’t all bad: Williams emerged as a playmaker on special teams with a blocked punt and blocked field goal in separate games. Those plays may be why he’s still with Dallas now.

Contract Status

**Years Left:**1
2026 Cap Hit:$2.5 million

With his rookie deal up, Williams didn’t even spend a whole day in free agency. On March 11th, he signed a one-year contract to return to Dallas. The deal has incentives for playing time and sack totals: a true “prove it” deal for the 27-year-old with his NFL career potentially on the line. With at least $2 million in guaranteed money, the Cowboys have made a decent commitment to seeing Williams’ second chance through.

2026 Projections

**Role:**Backup OLB
**Roster Chance:**70%

Not only does Williams’ contract suggest he’ll make the roster, but so does the overall picture at outside linebacker. The top three is pretty clear: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Rashan Gary, and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence will be the focus. The fourth spot probably belongs to James Houston right now, but that’s at least where Williams should be competitive. Dallas will probably keep at least five OLBs, and Williams feels like the current favorite for at least that fifth spot. And if he’s now full recovered from the 2024 knee injury, he could push for more.

There are some other contenders: Marist Liufau’s moving to EDGE and Dallas brought back Tyrus Wheat in free agency. There’s also the versatility of Jaishawn Barham, who may be focusing on ILB as a rookie but could factor into the pass rush as well. So Williams won’t go unchallenged for his spot, which is probably a good thing for his focus.

As mentioned before, Williams’ special teams performance in 2025 will also work in his favor. Even if he ends up further down the roster than he’d like, special teams may keep him from sliding off it completely. But while this helps establish his floor, many feel that the move to playing 3-4 OLB will suit Williams better than his time in Eberflus’ or even Quinn’s defenses. If health and maturity are now on his side, Sam Williams could be a in a good position to capitalize on the Cowboys’ loyalty.

Check out our previous player profiles from this series:

G Tyler Booker
S Alijah Clark
TE Jake Ferguson
LB Shemar James
G Trevor Keegan
FB Hunter Luepke
RB Phil Mafah
WR Jonathan Mingo
LS Trent Sieg
EDGE Tyrus Wheat