The art of cutting your losses is one that every NFL general manager or owner must learn at some point, and for the Dallas Cowboys, they are a few weeks out from training camp with one particular player who simply has not returned on investment..
Back in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cowboys selected defensive end Sam Williams out of Mississippi. At pick no. 56 overall, Williams was supposed to come in and become an integral part of the pass rush, and he had help around him too with Micah Parsons occupying most of the attention.
Since being drafted, though, Williams has yet to deliver on that draft billing and could be better suited for a fresh start elsewhere. Are we really assuming a scheme switch is going to turn Williams into a different player?
Enter: the Chicago Bears.
Sam Williams could go from the Cowboys to the Windy City in a trade that makes too much sense
The Bears are a team in desperate need for pass rush help. Cowboys fans, of course, may laugh at the idea of Williams being the answer to their prayer.
Williams might not be the guy to come in and set the defense on fire, but he certainly offers a little more than other players in that room.
Over the first two years of his career, Williams notched 4.0 and 4.5 sacks. That isn't what you want to see from a starting defensive end, but would the Bears take that as a rotational pass rusher over the likes of their prized free agent signing last year, Dayo Odeyingbo? Or maybe over a name like Daniel Hardy?
In Dallas, Williams just hasn't cut it. After coming back from a torn ACL and MCL forced him to miss the entire 2024 season, he came back to tally just 1.0 sack on a defense that had no semblance of an identity. When the Cowboys desperately needed his help, the former second-round pick didn't show up.
At this point, Jerry Jones should make the call to cut his losses. Dallas initially showed some faith in bringing him back on a 1-year deal earlier this offseason, but things have since changed and he now faces a whole lot more names around him in the pass rush room.
This offseason, Dallas has revamped their entire defense from back to front. The pass rush now includes names like Rashan Gary and Malachi Lawrence, with Williams taking more of a back seat.
Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston are there, as well, giving Williams even more competition as camp is set to open up.
If the Cowboys could get Bears general manager Ryan Poles to offer up even a sixth-round pick in exchange for Williams, that should be considered a win.
The Bears have continued to stick to their guns on not being active in acquiring another pass rusher, but Poles has a history of giving up those late Day 3 picks to take fliers on players via trade.
Time to make a phone call, Jerry.
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