"Every day is hard": Cowboys DE Sam Williams gets 100% real on not settling for backup role under Matt Eberflus

The Dallas Cowboys used their second round, No. 56 pick in the 2022 NFL draft to select Ole Miss Rebels defensive end Sam Williams. After a strong final season at the college football level, a year in which he had 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, Williams has not had the same impact or playing time in the professional league.

In two seasons in the NFL, Williams has averaged 24 total tackles, 15 solo tackles, 4.25 sacks and one forced fumble per year for the Cowboys.

On June 29, 'Law Nation Sports' released a video where Williams was asked whether he saw himself getting more playing time in 2025 for the Cowboys under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Williams made clear that this was his time to step up and become the star player that he knows he can be.

"Of course. I just feel like, you know, I love my brothers, all my teammates," Sam Williams said. "We got battles, every day's hard, but like, this my year, it started to count. I gotta give them a reason to always keep me on the field. That's the main thing... you got great players... but like, it's different for me man, and the way I am. The younger guys competing, it's not gonna do anything but make the team better."

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Will the Sam Williams and the Dallas Cowboys defensive unit improve after a poor 2024 campaign?

The Dallas Cowboys defensive unit really struggled during the 2024 season. Although injuries did play a factor in this - as Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland all missed time - the Cowboys frankly did not perform anywhere near expectations. The unit averaged 27.5 points against per game last year, a value that ranked No. 31 in the entire league.

Heading into the 2025 season, the Cowboys will unquestionably be hoping for better luck on the injury side of things. However, the unit will also need development and improvement from within, including Sam Williams, should they want to get back to their best next year.

Only time will tell whether the Cowboys become a top defensive unit in 2025. However, it is clear that Williams is working hard and doing his best to make the upcoming season a great one.