3 burning questions on defense/special teams the Cowboys must answer during training camp

2. How much playing time will Sam Williams see in year two?

Sam Williams was Dallas' second-round pick last year, and he showed a ton of potential in his rookie season.

Williams had four sacks, 22 tackles (10 for loss), nine quarterback hits, and forced one fumble in 15 games. His best game came in Week 7 against the Lions, when he had two sacks, three tackles (two for loss), two quarterback hits, and a forced fumble on 14 snaps.

He didn't see much playing time in his rookie season -- only playing more than 25 snaps in just three games. But when given the opportunity, Williams stepped up. He finished fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022.

Now heading into year two, the Cowboys expect big things from the second-year edge rusher. Head coach Mike McCarthy has raved about Williams this offseason and has noticed a year-two jump already.

It's encouraging to see Dallas say great things about the 24-year-old, especially after a solid rookie campaign.

But how will Williams fit in on defense?

DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons will be locked in as the team's top two edge rushers. Both also deserve to be in the game on almost every snap. Parsons has at least 13 sacks in back-to-back seasons, and Lawrence is a veteran who always seems to get in the backfield.

So, Williams might fail to play a ton of snaps to see a massive year two jump. He'll surely be the backup to Lawrence, but just how much he will play in 2023 remains to be seen.

Training camp will be a key determination in seeing just how Dallas plans to unleash the second-year edge rusher.