In an unexpected turn of events, the Dallas Cowboys made one of the biggest splashes before the NFL trade deadline, acquiring star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets for a 2027 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick, and DT Mazi Smith.
The Cowboys will need to keep pressing in the offseason to truly fix their defense, but getting Williams, a top-five interior defender in the league, is a great step in that direction. That begs the question of which moves Dallas should make?
While using both first-round picks on defensive players feels likely, the 2026 free agency class is also stacked with defensive playmakers. One player that makes a lot of sense, and would also make Quinnen Williams feel right at home in Dallas, is linebacker Quincy Williams, Quinnen's older brother, who has shockingly been benched by the Jets.
Cowboys should reunite Quinnen Williams with older brother Quincy Williams in the offseason
It didn't make any sense at the time why the Jets didn't trade Quincy Williams. That decision looks even more shocking now.
While Williams has underperformed this season relative to his normal standard, he entered 2025 as the No. 10 off-ball linebacker in ESPN's player rankings that polled NFL executives, coaches, and scouts.
An All-Pro under former Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Williams clearly isn't a fit for what Aaron Glenn wants in his linebackers. This is seemingly another case of a new regime wanting to add its own players. It stands to reason that Glenn doesn't have any interest in bringing Williams back in 2026, which begs the question of why he wasn't part of the Jets' fire sale.
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In any event, the Cowboys should absolutely consider signing Williams in free agency. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that Dallas tried to include Quincy in the Quinnen Williams trade. That didn't work out and the front office pivoted to trading for Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson.
It seems that Dallas understands it needs to rebuild its linebacker room. Williams should factor into the equation, assuming he doesn't re-up with New York. He doesn't have a penchant for taking the ball away, but the Cowboys just need players who have strong gap discipline and elite closing speed.
Not only does Williams check those boxes, but odds are he'd relish the opportunity to play with his brother again. That Dallas already showed interest suggests they will revisit it in the offseason.