The Dallas Cowboys have made a flurry of moves this offseason that were focused on improving the defense. Hiring defensive coordinator Christian Parker was the first step to this overhaul, and they moved from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive front.
That change will lead to three down linemen and two outside linebackers standing up. And that is appealing to linebacker Sam Williams. When asked about the new scheme, Williams said, "This is what I did at Ole Miss, so I’m happy,” per Jon Machota of The Athletic.
For a player entering a critical year in their career, this could be the change that Williams needed to finally make a consistent impact.
Dallas Cowboys DE Sam Williams is happy about change to 3-4 defensive front
Williams was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft by Dallas. Despite being a high draft pick, he hasn't lived up to the billing. Over 49 career games (five starts), Williams has tallied 85 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, and 9.5 sacks.
While he's flashed at times, Williams hasn't played at the level that was expected. And it could be a factor that he was playing a position that was different from what he's used to. During his time at Ole Miss, Williams expressed that he was an outside linebacker, and he was successful.
In 35 games with the Rebels, Williams logged 134 total tackles, 31.5 TFLs, 20.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. Even though that was several years ago, that production is encouraging. Even though it's a new scheme, Williams has history playing the position, which should allow him to hit the ground running.
The 27-year-old still has his work cut out for him in Dallas, as they brought him back on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. It was a low-cost deal that gives the Cowboys a depth piece who has been around the building for multiple years.
Dallas traded for Rashan Gary before selecting Malachi Lawrence in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Donovan Ezeiruaku, a 2025 second-round pick, is another player who will be ahead of Williams on the depth chart, but that doesn't mean he can't carve out a role for himself.
Minicamp, training camp, and preseason will be huge for Williams to show the new coaching staff what he's capable of. For a player who's looking to prove to the front office that he's someone worth keeping around, this move can benefit him down the line.
It'll be up to Williams to show what he can do, but it's nice to see that he's happy with the move to a 3-4 defensive front in a make-or-break campaign.
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