"It's me vs. me this year": Cowboys DE Sam Williams gets brutally honest about replacing Micah Parsons as the starter

The Dallas Cowboys are entering a new era on defense after trading star linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Now, defensive end Sam Williams is stepping into the spotlight.

NFL reporter Jon Manchota shared how Williams feels about replacing Micah Parsons as the starter through X.

“It’s me vs. me this year. I don’t look at anybody else. I just look at the man in front of me and I got to beat him. That’s it,” he said.

He also said that he is staying patient, trusting the process and avoiding mistakes like penalties, and just wants to perform well.

“I’m very hungry, but at the same time, I’m patient, you know,” Williams said.

“We got, what, two, three more days before we play. So, at the end of the day, I just got to keep trusting my process, be where my feet are at, and I don’t want to get too excited, because that’s when Sam start making penalties and jumping (offsides) and all that stuff. ... I just want to be great, man.”

The Cowboys’ latest depth chart lists Sam Williams as the starting defensive end opposite Dante Fowler. It’s a big step for the 25-year-old, who missed most of last season with torn ACL and MCL injuries. Despite that setback, coaches believe he is ready to take on a much larger role.

Before his injury, Williams showed flashes of talent. In his first two years with Dallas, he recorded 8.5 sacks across his first two NFL seasons (2022 and 2023).

His first test will not be easy. In Week 1, Dallas faces the Philadelphia Eagles, who have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Williams will likely line up against tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, both proven stars.

Dante Fowler steps up as Cowboys’ defensive leader post Micah Parsons' trade

With Micah Parsons gone, Dante Fowler is embracing a bigger role in Dallas.

“I lead by example … dominating on the field. That’s how I lead,” Fowler said.

As the most experienced player in a young pass-rush group featuring James Houston, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams, he’ll be expected to guide the unit.

Fowler sees help in the arrival of Kenny Clark:

“It crushed my heart when Micah left, but when I heard we were getting Kenny Clark, I got excited.”

Fowler posted 10.5 sacks in 2024 despite starting only seven games.