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Cowboys: Sam Williams takes discontent to the playing field

Originally posted on A to Z Sports
By Mauricio Rodriguez | Last updated 10/31/23

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams did what he needed to do on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Rams: He took his off-the-field talk to the playing field.

Last week, Williams was one of the top stories among Cowboys Nation after he took to Twitter/X to let the world know he was displeased with his playing time. He even went as far as tweeting "Free me" in a now-deleted post.

For a player who's dealt with multiple off-field issues in his two-year NFL career, tweeting pictures on social media isn't going to cut it. What will make a difference, however, is his showing up on the field. He did exactly that on Sunday more than once.

Williams, who has had a snap count of only 30% on defense, was forced to make an impact on special teams, where he had a 70% snap count versus the Rams. His biggest highlight came when he blocked a punt for a safety that extended the Cowboys' lead to 19-3.

SAM WILLIAMS!!!!

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/pBw90tDsWM
— Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) October 29, 2023

That wasn't his only highlight of the game on special teams. In fact, Williams did something some might be confused by: He played gunner in punt duties. Yup, you read that right. The 261-pound defensive lineman was out wide in punt coverage.

Naturally, Williams beat his man at the line of scrimmage with an inside move and went untouched by the help coming from the inside. Williams made a key tackle around midfield. Per Michael Gehlken from Dallas Morning News, Williams was timed by Next Gen Stats at over 19 miles per hour.

No need to adjust your monitor. That is Cowboys DE Sam Williams, listed at 6-4 and 262 pounds, working at gunner in punt coverage. He reached max speeds of 19.27 and 19.74 mph on a tackle and forced fair catch, respectively, per Next Gen Stats. Also blocked a punt for safety. pic.twitter.com/LKSj25Rl8L
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 30, 2023

Later in the game, Williams beat that velocity when forcing a fair catch from the same position. This time, he beat his man with a swift move, exploiting his leverage en route to make a big-time play.

And no, that wasn't it for the second-year defensive lineman seeking more playing time. In limited snaps on defense, Williams showed up big-time as he recorded two pressures in 14 snaps. He earned the fourth-best defensive grade from PFF among Cowboys players.

This is what Williams needs. The Cowboys know very well what his talent is. They understand what he can bring to the table. But they need him to be much more focused and disciplined. Showing up on the field like he did on Sunday is a very promising sign.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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