Things change in the NFL in the blink of an eye, and such may be the case for Dallas Cowboys EDGE Sam Williams. The third-year pass rusher was looking to take the next step in his NFL career as the Cowboys planned to give him more opportunities in 2024.
However, on Sunday afternoon, Williams tore his ACL and now is out for the 2024 season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. With Williams’ season-ending injury, we look at some potential replacements from our best remaining NFL free agents list whom the Cowboys may consider.
5 Free Agents Cowboys Could Sign Following Sam Williams’ Injury
When it comes to the Cowboys, they’re always going to look inward first. This team prides itself on drafting and developing while, for the most part, steering clear of outside free agents. In the case of Williams’ injury, the team could go the player development route once again.
From Back Together Weekend with the #Cowboys: The injury to Sam Williams may open the door to young talent, including Marshawn Kneeland. A bunch of rookies may play key roles this season. pic.twitter.com/hwp0PWW8uQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 28, 2024
Marshawn Kneeland was the Cowboys’ second-round draft pick out of Western Michigan, and the early reports out of camp are that he has looked excellent. While the team likely already had its own plans for Kneeland in 2024, the timeline and expectation may be sped up a bit with Williams out for the season.
However, Kneeland may not be able to do it alone, and for that reason among many others, the Cowboys may be forced to look outwardly for additional help. We list five potential fits for Dallas as adding an EDGE may have just become a bigger need than before.
Carl Lawson
The Cowboys need players who can attack the quarterback and are tough on the run. Carl Lawson checks both of those boxes. Lawson has tallied 27 sacks in 73 games and, according to TruMedia, has 150 pressures, 83 QB hits, and a pressure percentage of 13.1%.
Lawson is big, strong, and athletic, a lot of the same things you could say about Williams, making the replacement if necessary, a potentially smooth one. However, the one drawback for Lawson, and perhaps the reason why he is even still available at this point, is his injury history.
Lawson only played six games last season, and in 2021 he didn’t play at all. He did play all 17 games in 2022, but that is a feat he has only accomplished twice in his career. If healthy, he can be a great piece, and with the Cowboys’ backs potentially against the wall, it may be a risk worth taking.
Yannick Ngakoue
Another big-name pass rusher still on the market is Yannick Ngakoue. The veteran has a knack for getting after the passer and has done so at a high level for his entire 10-year career, where he has tallied 69 sacks during that time.
Ngakoue played 13 games for the Chicago Bears last season and finished the year with a modest four sacks, 34 pressures, and eight quarterback hits. He is also solid in run defense, finishing the season with six tackles for loss, as well as with a career-high 9.9% tackle percentage in the run game, according to TruMedia.
MORE: 2025 NFL Free Agents by PositionÂ
He is definitely getting longer in the tooth, playing in 123 games thus far in his career, but the veteran provides depth to a position that is thin and potentially getting thinner for the Cowboys.
Charles Harris
Like the two names above him, Charles Harris is a veteran who has been in the NFL for quite some time. Harris has played in 90 regular season games in his career and has tallied 16.5 sacks during that time.
While he isn’t the biggest stat-stuffer on this list when it comes to sacks, he had a higher pressure percentage than Ngakoue in 2023 at 13%, according to TruMedia.
What makes Harris even more intriguing is his physique and ability to play the run. At 6’3″, 250 lbs., the veteran pass rusher fits the mold of DeMarcus Lawrence and Kneeland, one the Cowboys like to have on the end of the line. Big-bodied pass rushers who can play in the backfield and disrupt the run game are key for them, and Harris can help.
Marquis Haynes
The next potential addition the Cowboys could look to bring in is smaller than the previously mentioned veterans but can get after the quarterback nonetheless. Marquis Haynes has spent his entire six-year career with the Carolina Panthers and is currently on the open market looking for his next home.
Haynes has tallied 14 sacks, 72 pressures, 32 quarterback hits, and a 9% pressure rate in his career. He has been productive when on the field but has had a problem staying on it, limiting his production. He played in only seven games last season and has only played in every game in a season twice.
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With free agents, especially at this point in the year, there comes a bit of risk or baggage, and while Haynes and other names listed above have had injury histories, the Cowboys may find themselves in a position where they need to make calculated decisions to better their team for the here and now.
Shaq Lawson
Much like Harris, Shaq Lawson checks the size box the Cowboys may be looking for. At 6’3″ and 267 pounds, the former Buffalo Bill is a big-bodied EDGE who can be physical at the point of attack and live in the backfield in both pass and run defense. While he is on the wrong side of 30 years old at this point, the Cowboys could use his services for at least 2024.
Lawson has tallied 26 sacks in his 109 games, 130 pressures, 67 quarterback hits, and a pass-rush pressure percentage of 10%. He may have some tread on his tires, but he is still able to be productive, especially if given the chance.
Although he only had one sack in 2023, he still tallied a 9.8% pressure percentage, 16 total pressures, and six QB hits in limited opportunities.