Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gives concerning injury update on Sam Williams

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered up some concerning news on star defensive end Sam Williams on Sunday. The franchise won’t know about his knee until after his MRI on Sunday afternoon. But Jones added, “Didn’t like what we saw,” according to Jon Machota.

Williams went down with an apparent left knee injury during practice Sunday and had to be carted off the field, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.

While the severity of the injury is currently unknown, it was described as “not good” from someone who saw it live, according to Nick Harris of Cowboys.com. Williams sustained the injury taking part in a special teams drill.

Williams, 25, was gearing up for his third season with the Cowboys, who selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. He has suited up in 32 games over the past two seasons, tallying 8.5 sacks, 48 tackles (30 solo), 16 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. Williams was expected to once again serve as useful depth behind DeMarcus Lawrence this season.

The Cowboys did, however, select former Western Michigan pass rusher Marshawn Kneeland in the second round of this year’s draft. Kneeland was already going to see some action in 2024, but his role could be even larger depending on the diagnosis of Williams’ injury. Nevertheless, Dallas’ depth will certainly be tested this season if Williams misses any game time.

Sam Williams was a dominant pass rusher for Ole Miss

Williams played his college football with Ole Miss, racking up 10.5 sacks in 2021, tying the school record in that stat category. For his efforts, he earned first-team All-SEC honors. His 57 tackles that year were the most by a Rebel defensive lineman since 2018. He also had 14 tackles for loss. Williams earned second team All-American honors.

In 2020, Williams shined with the Rebels, racking up 40 tackles and four sacks. His junior year, he tallied six sacks, once again showcasing his talent as a pass rusher. Before joining the Rebels, he starred at junior college (Northeast Mississippi Community College), becoming one of the nation’s most coveted prospects in the JUCO ranks.

On3’s Nick Geddes also contributed to this article.