Just a bit over a month stands between the Dallas Cowboys and the beginning of 2026 coaching camp. Dallas formally reviews to Oxnard on July twenty eighth, with the primary coaching camp observe happening on the twenty ninth.
The Cowboys’ roster seems to be considerably totally different from what it did right now final yr, significantly on the defensive aspect of the ball. With that thought in thoughts, in the present day we proceed our collection rating the highest 10 gamers on the Cowboys roster for the 2026 season.
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 23: Quinnen Williams #92 of the Dallas Cowboys runs out of the tunnel previous to an NFL soccer sport in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photograph by Cooper Neill/Getty Photos) Getty Photos
NFL Awards: 4x Professional Bowl (2022/2023/2024/2025) 1x All-Professional (2022/ 1st Group)
2025 Recap: Quinnen Williams began the 2025 marketing campaign doing what he had executed all through the course of his seven-year NFL profession, producing like a star on a nasty crew. Williams, who was chosen with the third general decide within the 2019 NFL Draft, had turn into the Jets’ greatest defensive participant (together with Sauce Gardner) over the course of the final 4 seasons.
The 28-year-old was a shiny spot for a Jets franchise that had only a few of them over the previous decade. Regardless of his continued dominance, with the Jets’ lack of crew success, commerce rumors had surrounded the star defensive deal with for a number of seasons.
After a 1-7 begin to the common season, the Jets lastly pulled the set off on a Williams commerce. New York agreed to ship the defensive deal with to the Cowboys in trade for a 2026 second-round decide, a 2027 first-round decide, and defensive deal with Mazi Smith.
Whereas the daring transfer to amass Williams didn’t end in a playoff look for the Cowboys, the previous first-round decide was each bit pretty much as good as marketed throughout his first stint in Dallas. In seven video games as a Cowboy, Williams recorded 32 whole pressures and 23 QB hurries to go together with an 88.8 run protection grade in addition to an 89.6 general defensive grade.
The fee to amass Williams was steep, however he performed just like the clear difference-maker Dallas believed he might be once they sacrificed premium draft capital to deliver him in.
2026 Preview: Heading into yr two, expectations are sky excessive for the veteran defensive deal with. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has raved about Williams’ potential to be the anchor of his protection, and the 28-year-old appears to be an ideal slot in Parker’s scheme.
Williams’ skill to function a real inside disruptor within the passing sport, in addition to being an impressive run defender, ought to assist him excel within the new-look Cowboys’ odd-front protection. With Osa Odighizuwa shipped off to San Francisco, Dallas is inserting loads of belief in Williams and Kenny Clark to be the 2 anchors of their defensive inside.
There must be little doubt that Williams is as much as the problem. Even with one of many worst defenses in Cowboys’ historical past round him, the tape Williams placed on show final season was celebrity stuff. With higher teaching and extra expertise round him, there’s true All-Professional potential for the 28-year-old in his second yr as a Cowboy.
Prediction: Quinnen Williams has a dominant season, making the second All-Professional Group of his profession.
