Cowboys Sign Von Miller, Release Sam Williams

The Dallas Cowboys made an early move in the offseason, showing interest in veteran defensive end Maxx Crosby. Their need for help on the edge became pressing after trading Micah Parsons last year. Ultimately, the team secured Von Miller with a one-year contract worth up to $7.5 million.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys decided to release Sam Williams partly due to the addition of Miller. Williams, who inked a one-year agreement with $2 million guaranteed in March, now finds himself out of Dallas’ plans. Archer posted on X, “Sources confirm the Cowboys have released veteran edge rusher Sam Williams. Von Miller’s arrival removed an edge rusher spot from the 53-man roster.”

Williams joined Dallas as a second-round draft pick in 2022, registering notable stats: 85 tackles, three forced fumbles, 22 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. During 2025, he played in all 17 games and started in five of them.

With the competition for spots fierce, Williams faced significant pressure during training camp. “I took all the reports, all the negative comments, everything,” Williams shared with KLTV.com. “I had to look at myself because you can’t improve without acknowledging your mistakes. I wrote them on my mirror and focused on improving. At the end of the day, I took all the negatives, looked in the mirror, didn’t blame anyone else, and just worked. I let my work speak for itself.”

The future looks uncertain for Williams as teams evaluate their defensive end needs before the regular season begins. Williams demonstrated his potent pass-rushing skills best in 2023, achieving 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2024 season due to a torn ACL and partially torn MCL during training camp.