Quinnen Williams won’t say it, but there’s no denying his impact on the Dallas defense
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Quinnen Williams disregards the notion that the standout defensive tackle’s arrival in a trade is the best explanation for a dramatic turnaround by the defense of the Dallas Cowboys.
Teammates and coaches agree — to a point.
“When you open up the personnel report and you see Quinnen Williams’ name, you’re like, ‘Ah, …, what am I going to do about this?’” said coach Brian Schottenheimer, going silent while mouthing the expletive in his thought. “I think that’s real. When you pay a lot of attention to him, it gives a lot of other guys a lot of opportunities to showcase their talent.”
Here’s the reality.
Dallas is 3-0 since giving the New York Jets a 2027 first-round draft pick, a second-rounder next year and underperforming defensive tackle Mazi Smith to acquire Williams at the trade deadline.
On top of that, the Cowboys (6-5-1) go into Thursday night’s visit to Detroit having given up 21.7 points per game (essentially a touchdown below their average) and 69.7 yards rushing per game (not much more than half their average).
Dallas beat both of last season’s Super Bowl teams back-to-back, first 24-21 over defending champion and NFC East rival Philadelphia when the defense gave the Cowboys three fourth-quarter chances to take the lead and the offense finally cashed in with a game-ending field goal. The winning drive came after Osa Odighizuwa’s third down sack of Jalen Hurts.
The other pieces
The defensive revival isn’t as simple as Williams coming aboard.
The returns from injury for starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson along with the season debuts of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and rookie cornerback Shavon Revel coming off 2024 knee surgeries have helped.
So has the other trade deadline addition, former Cincinnati linebacker Logan Wilson, whose veteran presence has improved the communication of first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ calls.
Those are among the reminders Williams has for anyone suggesting his arrival changed everything for the Dallas defense.
“I wasn’t here before. I don’t really know what was going on before I got here,” Williams said. “But since I’ve been here, everybody’s just been firing on all cylinders when it comes down to doing their job to the best of their ability and feeding off each other, learning from each other, pushing each other, holding each other accountable.”
Immediate impact
Still, the impact of Williams has been undeniable, right from the start. In the first half of his Dallas debut at Las Vegas, Williams had five pressures, the most in a half by a Cowboys defensive tackle in at least seven years, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He had 1 1/2 sacks against the Raiders.
“Just watch him play. Simple as that,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “Guy that I know, as I said before, playing against, he’s a game-wrecker and now being on the same team as him and getting an opportunity when I do watch those guys over there, it’s no different. The rest of the guys are stepping up and making plays when he’s getting double-teamed.”
Williams joined Dallas after spending all of his first six seasons with the Jets, who drafted him third overall in 2019. Jadeveon Clowney, a 12-year veteran who sacked Patrick Mahomes twice in last week’s 31-28 Thanksgiving win over Kansas City, signed as a free agent early in the season.
Defensive tackle Kenny Clark was the player Dallas got in the trade that ultimately led to the Williams deal, when the Cowboys sent star pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay for two first-round picks a week before the season started. Clark had spent all of his first nine seasons with the Packers.
Add Odighizuwa, a fifth-year player who signed an $80 million contract extension in the offseason, and Dallas now leans on a strong core of veterans to go with promising edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku.
“My plan was to come here and play great football and execute and just learn the defense and learn the guys around me,” Clowney said. “Getting Quinnen just made it that much more special. He came in from day one, been leading since he got here.”
A leadership challenge
What leadership might look on a new team changed dramatically for Williams when his new teammate, defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, was found dead of an apparent suicide less than 48 hours after the trade.
Suddenly, Williams was the newest member of a defensive line room reeling from the tragic news. He had to adjust accordingly.
“I haven’t really had a chance to kind of process those emotions,” Williams said. “I always try to be a helping hand, especially the guys who’ve been around him the most and the guys who had a friendship with him the most and really lost a brother the most. It taught me a lot, man. You have to have camaraderie, you have to have that off-the-field chemistry, and that’s what they had with him.”
Boost in production
However Williams adjusted to letting his voice be heard, Schottenheimer has praised him for it, and believes it is part of why Williams needed just three games to surpass his season total in pressures in eight games with the Jets.
“I think in how well he’s fit in with the locker room, how quickly he’s gotten adapted to our style, our culture, our connection, the way he’s communicating,” Schottenheimer said. “I think it speaks to him not just as a football player but as a man. He’s been just been so easy to bring into our family.”
Williams said he “100% agreed” that his production has jumped compared to his time this season with the Jets. He also credits first-year Dallas defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who was Williams’ position coach with the Jets the past four seasons. This is also where Williams credits his new teammates.
“I just think I’m in the best position when it comes down to winning one-on-ones and then I got guys around me here like Kenny Clark and Osa who’s taking advantage of their one-on-ones,” Williams said. “And just the unit itself is firing on all cylinders and balling.”
There’s no denying that the newest cylinder souped up the engine.
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