Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and his MCL in his left knee, ending his season before it even began. The team’s website reported:.
Williams will need to undergo orthopedic surgery and the Cowboys will place him on season-ending injured reserve, a major blow for Dallas before the team even has its first practice in pads.
The injury occurred during practice on Sunday while Williams was blocking during a special teams drill.
NFL Network reported: He fell to the ground while blocking, clutching his left knee and was eventually carted off the field.
“Things aren’t looking good,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said after practice, according to the team’s website.
“We didn’t like what we saw,” Jones added. According to ESPN.
Williams was a second-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2022 NFL Draft and was expected to play a big role in Dallas’ pass rush this season.
Williams is expected to record 4.5 sacks during the 2023 season and 8.5 in his first two years in the NFL.
The Cowboys watched as Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. were traded to Washington during the offseason and now they must find someone to fill the void left by Williams’ injury.
Marshawn Kneeland, the Cowboys’ second pick in this year’s draft, Durell Johnson and Junior Fehoko are also on the list.
Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters before practice Sunday that Kneeland’s camp so far has been “very impressive.”
“I love his physical strength, his athleticism, as we did during the draft process,” he said. “He’s off to a good start. He’s very calm and he’s soaking it up in the classroom. His outgoing personality, that’s important. He’s off to a good start.”
Williams’ injury is another situation the Cowboys will have to deal with, with CeeDee Lamb also currently on strike.
