Just a little over a month stands between the Dallas Cowboys and the start of 2026 training camp. Dallas officially reports to Oxnard on July 28th, with the first training camp practice taking place on the 29th.
The Cowboys’ roster looks significantly different from what it did at this time last year, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. With that thought in mind, today we continue our series ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys roster for the 2026 season.
3) Quinnen Williams
Age: 28
Years Pro: 7
NFL Awards: 4x Pro Bowl (2022/2023/2024/2025) 1x All-Pro (2022/ 1st Team)
2025 Recap: Quinnen Williams started the 2025 campaign doing what he had done throughout the course of his seven-year NFL career, producing like a star on a bad team. Williams, who was selected with the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, had become the Jets’ best defensive player (along with Sauce Gardner) over the course of the last four seasons.
The 28-year-old was a bright spot for a Jets franchise that had very few of them over the past decade. Despite his continued dominance, with the Jets’ lack of team success, trade rumors had surrounded the star defensive tackle for a few seasons.
After a 1-7 start to the regular season, the Jets finally pulled the trigger on a Williams trade. New York agreed to send the defensive tackle to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
While the bold move to acquire Williams did not result in a playoff appearance for the Cowboys, the former first-round pick was every bit as good as advertised during his first stint in Dallas. In seven games as a Cowboy, Williams recorded 32 total pressures and 23 QB hurries to go with an 88.8 run defense grade as well as an 89.6 overall defensive grade.
The cost to acquire Williams was steep, but he played like the clear difference-maker Dallas believed he could be when they sacrificed premium draft capital to bring him in.
2026 Preview: Heading into year two, expectations are sky high for the veteran defensive tackle. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has raved about Williams’ potential to be the anchor of his defense, and the 28-year-old seems to be a perfect fit in Parker’s scheme.
Williams’ ability to serve as a true interior disruptor in the passing game, as well as being an outstanding run defender, should help him excel in the new-look Cowboys’ odd-front defense. With Osa Odighizuwa shipped off to San Francisco, Dallas is placing plenty of trust in Williams and Kenny Clark to be the two anchors of their defensive interior.
There should be no doubt that Williams is up to the challenge. Even with one of the worst defenses in Cowboys’ history around him, the tape Williams put on display last season was superstar stuff. With better coaching and more talent around him, there is true All-Pro potential for the 28-year-old in his second year as a Cowboy.
Prediction: Quinnen Williams has a dominant season, making the second All-Pro Team of his career.
