After trading Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys aren't in a position to complain about money or the salary cap. As part of the trade, Parsons signed a four-year, $186 million extension with the Green Bay Packers, making him the highest-paid defender in NFL history at the time.
The Cowboys pivoted admirably by acquiring Quinnen Williams at last year's trade deadline. They gave up a lot -- a 2026 second-round pick and the better of their two 2027 firsts -- but Williams is worth it.
An elite defensive tackle, he is also one of the best pound-for-pound defensive players in the league and he's smack in the middle of his prime. Not since Jay Ratliff has Dallas had one of those, and they're going to have to pay up next offseason to keep Williams around.
At the rate the DT market is evolving, Jerry Jones and Co. may want to think about getting an extension done this summer.
The Dallas Cowboys should think about extending Quinnen Williams this offseason
Last week, the Tennessee Titans and All-Pro Jeffery Simmons agreed to a three-year, $105.8 million contract. It includes $100 million guaranteed, making it the biggest contract ever given to an interior defender.
First-round picks in 2019, Williams and Simmons have identical resumes through seven seasons. They've both made four Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro finish. The lone distinction is that Simmons was a second-team All-Pro on two occasions in 2021 and 2022.
Suffice it to say that Simmons deserved to reset the market, but he did so pretty comfortably as his $35.3 million annual average value (AAV) blows past the previous high set by Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones, who makes $1.8 million per year.
Simmons was also drafted by the Titans. He's been the face of the franchise for years and has stuck around despite Tennessee totaling a 19-49 record since its last winning season in 2021. There's added value in that, which can explain why he surpassed Jones' AAV by a wide margin.
Williams, while a great player, just arrived in Dallas. As the centerpiece of the defense, he'll get paid market value, but odds are he won't eclipse Simmons' contract. Like any market-setting extension, though, Simmons' deal raises the floor for the Williams negotiation.
In addition to Simmons, the Philadelphia Eagles recently paid Jordan Davis by way of a three-year, $78 million pact that includes $51.5 million guaranteed. His $26 million AAV is now the third-most among DTs, while Williams sits at ninth at $24 million, per OverTheCap.
Negotiations may start at $30 million per year, and Williams would be justified to ask for more than Jones, who re-upped with Kansas City in March of 2024.
The Cowboys knew the bill was eventually coming due when they traded for Williams. If he's truly part of the long-term vision, why wait for the price to climb even higher? Doing an extension now could save millions, and would allow the front office to focus all of its attention on George Pickens next offseason.
It makes all the sense in the world.
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