Emmitt Smith recently praised the Dallas Cowboys for having a drama-free offseason (so far). There's still time for George Pickens to become a distraction, but by signing the franchise tag, he signaled that he plans to report for mandatory practices, even if he skips OTAs.
While Smith and Cowboys fans got their wish this offseason, next year could see the contract histrionics return. Not only is Pickens' future waiting on the other side, but star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams could angle for a new-and-improved deal as well.
Williams signed a four-year, $96 million extension with the New York Jets in 2023. He's set to make $21.75 million this season and has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal beyond 2026.
In other words, another high-profile negotiation is coming down the pike.
The Dallas Cowboys will almost certainly extend Quinnen Williams next offseason.
A case could be made for Jerry Jones to extend Williams this summer. Regardless of when it happens, though, this situation isn’t going away, as Williams will be entering a contract year in 2027, and the Cowboys surrendered a massive haul to get him from New York: a 2026 second-round pick, the better of Dallas’ two 2027 first-rounders, and Mazi Smith.
Rest assured, the four-time Pro Bowler isn't going anywhere. However, he's currently ninth among defensive tackles with a $24 million annual average value, per Over The Cap. That's a big gap to clear, assuming Williams wants top-of-the-market money.
It's less than Alim McNeill ($24.25 million annually), whom Williams tops in almost every meaningful metric, and Zach Allen ($25.5 million), who didn’t become an All-Pro until five years into his career. Williams, meanwhile, posted 7.0 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in just his second season.
We won't run through every defensive tackle who makes more than Williams, but he deserves a significant raise that reflects the market. Chris Jones leads the position at $31.75 million per year, while Dexter Lawrence sits second at $28 million. Somewhere between those figures feels like the logical sweet spot for Williams.
It's no coincidence the Cowboys' defense improved after Williams arrived. The issues at linebacker and in the secondary eventually undercut that progress, but Williams stayed dominant regardless of how the players around him performed.
The 28-year-old is poised to spend the rest of his career in Dallas. The only question is whether Jones gets ahead of the market or delays the inevitable. Either way, the $96 million elephant in the room will eventually get addressed, and Williams is likely looking at a $100 million payday.
Jones can't ignore it for much longer.
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