The Dallas Cowboys have trimmed their roster to 53 players ahead of the 2026 NFL season, which meant that a lot of change was happening at The Star. One of those changes was the release of Sam Williams, who was once a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate but quickly became expendable.
With the additions of Rashan Gary, Von Miller and Malachi Lawrence this offseason, there just wasn't room for Williams in Dallas anymore. But when discussing the Cowboys' final cuts on Monday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that Williams' NFL career was "long from over."
The Cleveland Browns just made sure of that, reportedly signing Williams just two days after his release from the Cowboys. He'll now work alongside Jared Verse and others to fill a Myles Garrett-sized hole on the defensive line in Cleveland.
Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer clearly respected Sam Williams
Of all the released or waived players that Schottenheimer discussed on Monday, Williams may have been given the highest praise from his former head coach. Schottenheimer focused on the numbers at outside linebacker, including Miller's arrival, as part of Williams' demise.
Still, Dallas went six deep at outside linebacker and kept Tyrus Wheat on the 53-man roster. Schottenheimer didn't get into specifically why Dallas favored Wheat over Williams, but special teams and overall consistency seemed central to the decision.
Cowboys' second-chance with Sam Williams was expensive
After his rookie deal expired, Williams entered 2026 free agency with a limited market. Despite appearing in all 17 games the previous season and starting five, Williams only had one sack on the year.
With an ACL tear in 2024 still hanging over him, Williams took a one-year deal to return to Dallas and tried to save his Cowboys career.
Dallas must have had some faith in Williams' ability to do that, as they guaranteed $2 million of his $2.5 million contract. That financial investment has always made Williams feel likely to make the roster, and a hot start to training camp made it seem all the more inevitable.
But within a few weeks, Dallas brought in the veteran Miller. With James Houston still making plays in preseason games, Williams' footing seemed far less secure.
The assumption near final cuts was that if the Cowboys kept six outside linebackers, Williams would be the last guy. After all, he has experience and had some of the biggest special teams plays of last year. But clearly, Dallas thought more Wheat and cast Williams off with the chaff.
We'll see how Sam Williams' next opportunity goes. The Browns certainly need to redefine their pass rush after trading Garrett to the Rams this offseason. If Williams can contribute, he won't lack for cheers from many in Cowboys Nation, including Brian Schottenheimer.
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