An MRI confirmed the worst for Williams, who left Sunday’s practice with a knee injury. The Cowboys drafted Williams 56th overall in 2022. Through his first two years in the league, Williams has totaled 8.5 sacks and appeared poised for a breakout season this year. It’s a brutal blow for Williams and the Cowboys, who will likely be looking to add a pass rusher to the roster in the coming days.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport observed the incident, noting Williams “planted his left foot [and] grabbed immediately for the back of his left knee” before going down. The Cowboys’ defensive line lost multiple high-impact contributors from the 2023 unit, including EDGEs Dante Fowler Jr. (18.3 percent) and Dorance Armstrong (12.9 percent) who followed former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to the Washington Commanders this offseason. Both players finished top four on the team in QB pressure rate. The Cowboys starting defensive lineup is chock-full of elite players but the pass-rush depth is evaporating.

A major contributor to a solid Dallas pass rush in 2022, Williams could face a misdemeanor charge for the weapon he had when arrested in Frisco City. Williams, who had ten tackles for a loss and nine quarterback hits last season, could face a suspension later this season depending on the outcome of his case.

He suffered a concussion and neck strain in a car crash on Friday. Williams will likely be questionable for next week assuming the neck strain isn't serious. The rookie EDGE has been a productive part of Dallas' rotation on the defensive line.