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The Dallas Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams in the middle of a bad 2025 season. The former All-Pro wasn't playing up to the lofty impressions he had created for himself when he first broke into the league. Having to suit up for the moribund New York Jets can do that to a player. Almost immediately upon his arrival in Dallas at the trade deadline, he transformed back into the player everyone knew he was capable of.
A small stance adjustment made by defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, and moreso the change in scenery, re-established Williams as one of the premiere interior defenders in the NFL. Williams grades from Pro Football Focus immediately returned to their previous standards, but unfortunately the disarray in Dallas was too much for his play to actually make a difference.
Now, the Cowboys are centering their defensive plan around his presence. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is transitioning the team to a 3-4 defense where Williams will man the 3T spot as the focal defender among the front. With an entire offseason to plan around his commanding double teams, it will be an exciting new chapter for the recently lackluster Cowboys' defense.
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 28
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 303 pounds
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
High School: Wenonah High School
College: Alabama (Film Study Video)
Draft: 2019 1st-round pick, No. 3 (NY Jets)
Acquired: 2025 Trade
Contract: Four-year contract (2022), $96 million
2026 Base Salary: $20.75 million, $7.6 million guaranteed
Career Earnings: $91.1 million (per Over The Cap)
Williams made First-Team All-Pro in 2022, the first of four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. That year, he logged 12 sacks and another 12 TFLs, establishing his place in the NFL's elite DT conversation. His numbers did not maintain, however, dropping to 11.5 sacks over his next two seasons as the Jets fumbled around like only New York can. He finished with just 2.5 sacks in 2025, though as mentioned previously, his play took a serious upswing once he escaped from New York, even if the stats didn't reflect it.
In 2026, Williams will take on the 3T role while fellow veteran Kenny Clark mans the nose tackle position. Dallas also signed veteran Otito Ogbonnia during the offseason as a second nose tackle to aid in the rotation. Joining the three in the interior during training camp will be second-year player Jay Toia and UDFA rookies Tommy Dunn and Kelvin Gilliam.
Interestingly, when the Cowboys were creating cap space this offseason, they didn't touch Williams' mammoth contract in their restructuring ways. Williams could easily be in line for that if the team looks to acquire more talent during training camp, and could just as easily earn an extension and a raise if he lives up to expectations in Parker's new scheme. Dallas isn't going to be edge-rusher centric, instead deploying a rotation who are expected to take advantage of the work Williams and Clark put in up front, occupying multiple blockers.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys player profile: No. 92 DT Quinnen Williams
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A small stance adjustment made by defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, and moreso the change in scenery, re-established Williams as one of the premiere interior defenders in the NFL. Williams grades from Pro Football Focus immediately returned to their previous standards, but unfortunately the disarray in Dallas was too much for his play to actually make a difference.
Now, the Cowboys are centering their defensive plan around his presence. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is transitioning the team to a 3-4 defense where Williams will man the 3T spot as the focal defender among the front. With an entire offseason to plan around his commanding double teams, it will be an exciting new chapter for the recently lackluster Cowboys' defense.
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Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 28
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 303 pounds
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
High School: Wenonah High School
College: Alabama (Film Study Video)
Draft: 2019 1st-round pick, No. 3 (NY Jets)
Acquired: 2025 Trade
Contract: Four-year contract (2022), $96 million
2026 Base Salary: $20.75 million, $7.6 million guaranteed
Career Earnings: $91.1 million (per Over The Cap)
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Williams made First-Team All-Pro in 2022, the first of four consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. That year, he logged 12 sacks and another 12 TFLs, establishing his place in the NFL's elite DT conversation. His numbers did not maintain, however, dropping to 11.5 sacks over his next two seasons as the Jets fumbled around like only New York can. He finished with just 2.5 sacks in 2025, though as mentioned previously, his play took a serious upswing once he escaped from New York, even if the stats didn't reflect it.
In 2026, Williams will take on the 3T role while fellow veteran Kenny Clark mans the nose tackle position. Dallas also signed veteran Otito Ogbonnia during the offseason as a second nose tackle to aid in the rotation. Joining the three in the interior during training camp will be second-year player Jay Toia and UDFA rookies Tommy Dunn and Kelvin Gilliam.
Interestingly, when the Cowboys were creating cap space this offseason, they didn't touch Williams' mammoth contract in their restructuring ways. Williams could easily be in line for that if the team looks to acquire more talent during training camp, and could just as easily earn an extension and a raise if he lives up to expectations in Parker's new scheme. Dallas isn't going to be edge-rusher centric, instead deploying a rotation who are expected to take advantage of the work Williams and Clark put in up front, occupying multiple blockers.
Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys player profile: No. 92 DT Quinnen Williams
Continue reading...
