Cowboys give Quinnen Williams 3-year extension

Williams practiced in full on Friday but couldn’t quite clear protocol. It’s a bit of a boost for Los Angeles’ running game that the star defensive tackle will sit. Also inactive for the Cowboys are: WR Jalen Tolbert, CB Caelen Carson (hamstring), RB Jaydon Blue, OT Tyler Guyton (ankle) and DT Jay Toia.

He practiced in full today, but the questionable tag implies he has not fully exited concussion protocol yet. He’ll have a chance to do so on Saturday. Williams, by far the best player in Dallas’ front seven, would create some upgrades for the Chargers running game if he were to be ruled out.

Williams’ return is great to see, though he is not guaranteed to clear the NFL’s concussion protocol in time to play this week. Williams has had a significantly positive impact on the Cowboys’ defense since they acquired him. Chargers QB Justin Herbert would enjoy far more comfortable pockets if Williams is unable to play.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Williams is doing better but remains in the league’s concussion protocol. A DNP to open the week will make it hard for him to clear the protocol ahead of Sunday’s game. As expected, Williams has been a massive upgrade for the Dallas defense. He has 1.5 sacks with the team and picked off J.J. McCarthy in Week 15. Losing him would likely send the Cowboys’ defense back to their early-season form.

Williams is notably not Micah Parsons, but if for some reason you can’t have Parsons, he’s probably on the short list of defensive line stars in the league. He’s a star run defender — something we seem to recall the Cowboys needing — by virtue of splash plays. Williams has only one sack this year, but the Jets have not held many leads and Williams does have 23.5 sacks in his past seasons. The Jets star defender has 1.5 years remaining on a four-year, $96 million extension signed in 2023. So the Cowboys will make sure to have someone with an expiring contract distraction on the roster in 2026, as nature abhors a vacuum. The Jets are now a conceptual football team, the closest thing we’ve seen to one since the Sashi Brown Browns anyway. So from that standpoint, Mazi Smith, a theoretical defensive tackle, is a great addition.

Reports on Hall’s availability and outside interest have swirled for weeks now, with reports most recently indicating that the Jets could re-sign him for 2026. Williams, 24, is a three-time defending Pro Bowl player, so his price is unlikely to be cheap. He currently leads all Jets defenders with 19 quarterback pressures and could instantly star on any defensive line. Stay tuned.

Williams suffered a calf injury in Thursday’s practice and was sidelined on Friday as a result. Glenn said the decision to give Williams a few weeks to recover is “precautionary,” so it doesn’t sound like this will be something that carries over into the season. Williams missed time in 2022 with a similar injury, and Glenn added that “he understands exactly how you have to operate” to ensure proper healing. Glenn totaled 37 tackles and six sacks in 2024 on his way to his third Pro Bowl. At this point, we would expect Williams to be good to go when the Jets play host to the Steelers in Week 1.

We’d expect to know more about the severity of Williams’ injury once head coach Aaron Glenn speaks to the media at the end of Friday’s practice. The star defensive tackle injured his calf during Thursday’s practice and was not spotted on the field Friday. Williams totaled 37 tackles, six sacks, and eight TFLs last season, earning a third-straight trip to the Pro Bowl. We’ll provide an update on Williams’ status when the team announces it.

The 2022 first-round pick was among a handful of Jets players who did not participate in Tuesday’s session, which is voluntary. Another notable player who was absent was three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. Despite a dip in performance in 2024, Williams is currently ranked fourth among the league’s interior defenders heading into the 2025 season, per PFF.

At this point, there is no reason to worry. Williams is handsomely paid, and his contract runs through the 2027 season. All reports regarding his health checkout as well. Williams should rejoin his team soon. Jets WR Malachi Corley was present but did not participate. Per Cimini, Corley sat out with an apparent injury.