Williams has racked up 41.5 career sacks with 343 tackles, 110 QB hits, eight forced fumbles and an impressive pair of picks for a big man. He’s riding a four-year streak of Pro Bowls heading into his age-29 season, having earned the distinction most recently while splitting the 2025 campaign between the Jets and Cowboys.
In three of the previous four years, Williams has graded out as one of PFF’s top-five interior defensive lineman: 90.1 (fourth) in 2022, 90.6 (third) in 2023 and 88.8 (second) in 2025.
While his trade to Dallas at the deadline last season couldn’t salvage a unit already circling the drain — the Cowboys still finished with the most points allowed — Williams nonetheless proved himself a transformative presence.
The Cowboys gave up 143 rushing yards per game in nine contests before making a move for Williams. Afterward? Dallas shrunk that number to 105.8 per game over its final eight outings, three times holding teams to under 80 yards on the ground after failing to do so previously. Williams was relentless in the pass rush, as well. His 30 pressures as a Cowboy from Weeks 11-18 ranked second among DTs during that span.
It was dark days for Dallas in the time between trading away Micah Parsons and using some of the capital it got in the blockbuster to entice Gang Green to part with Williams. The affable defensive lineman sparked some hope, though, and will now serve as the newly-extended cog of a rebuilt Cowboys defense.
Williams is entering his first full year with the Cowboys playing alongside a host of prominent new faces: Rashan Gary, Otito Ogbonnia, Dee Winters, Jalen Thompson and a pair of first-rounders, Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence.
It’s evident from the money involved, but the Cowboys have full faith in him to lead them to greatness.