3 perfect Sam Williams replacements for Cowboys after season-ending injury

The return of training camp means the NFL season is right around the corner. It also unfortunately marks the start of a chain of devastating injuries around the league. The Dallas Cowboys have already experienced this in the form of Sam Williams, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.

Williams suffered the injury in Sunday's walkthrough practice. The 2022 second-round pick was going through a pad drill and his knee buckled as he went to plant his leg before executing the move.

It's the definition of a freak injury and it's awful for Williams, who was primed for an expanded role along the defensive line after he played less than 30% of the snaps over his first two seasons. Now, the Cowboys will call on rookie second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland to replace Williams.

While Kneeland has looked good in camp, Dallas' defensive end depth is razor thin. The front office needs to look outside the organization for reinforcements. These free agents in particular should top their wishlist.

3. Charles Harris

Harris hasn't lived up to the billing of a former first-round pick, but he fits the mold of a veteran who'd bring experience to a young and thin DE room.

Mike Zimmer actually had a close-up view of Harris' breakout 2021 season with the Lions when he compiled 7.5 sacks, 16 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss. Then the Vikings head coach, Zimmer could be more familiar with Harris' game than any of the pass rushers that are left on the market.

Harris has had modest pass rush production in his career, but he had a higher pressure rate last season than notable players like Yannick Ngakoue, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Bud Dupree, Sam Hubbard and Randy Gregory.

2. Yannick Ngakoue

Ngakoue is among the most recognizable names left in free agency. A third-round pick of the Jaguars in 2018, Ngakoue has been productive getting after QBs throughout his career. He's posted at least eight sacks in seven of eight seasons and has twice eclipsed double-digit sacks.

Now 29 years old, Ngakoue is coming off his worst season as a pro. He managed four sacks, 34 pressures and eight QB hits in 13 games with the Bears. However, he tallied a combined 19.5 sacks and 49 QB hits in his previous two seasons with the Raiders and Colts, respectively.

Ngakoue doesn't offer much as a run defender so he's not a dream fit with Mike Zimmer, but the Cowboys desperately need someone to take Williams' place in the EDGE rotation.

1. Carl Lawson

Lawson could be on the verge of signing with the Cowboys. The 29-year-old tweeted a star emoji moments after it was announced that Williams tore his ACL. It's possible that Williams was trolling Cowboys fans, or perhaps he was sending a message to Jerry Jones to give him a call.

A first-round pick of the Bengals in 2017, Lawson was once considered one of the most vaunted pass rushers in the league. Injuries have derailed his career, however. A back ailment limited him to just six games last season with the Jets, but he's one year removed from posting 8 sacks, 49 pressures, 24 QB hits and a 72.8 pass-rush grade despite playing just 58% of the snaps.

Lawson is undoubtedly the top free agent DE on the market and the Cowboys need to move quickly to sign him after he, along with Ngakoue, worked out for the Panthers last week.

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