Less than 24 hours after the Dallas Cowboys fell to 3-5-1 on the season via an ugly 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones took steps to bolster his team’s defense by acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets and linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals.
On Tuesday evening, first-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer reacted to the moves by Jones, team executive vice president Stephen Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay.
Cowboys got “terrific players” in Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson
“It’s exciting,” Schottenheimer said, per Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys’ website. “Kudos to Jerry and Stephen, Will, being aggressive but then smart. A couple of moves we made, you’re getting guys not just for this year but beyond, which I think is great…I think it’s two terrific players, but also terrific young men.”
The Cowboys’ defense routinely betrayed its offense throughout the first half of the season, and it’s possible that Tuesday’s moves won’t turn Dallas into a legitimate playoff contender. After all, ESPN stats show that the Cowboys rank31st in the league in points allowed per game (30.8) and in yards surrendered per contest (397.4) for the campaign.
Wilson previously requested a trade after he lost playing time to rookie linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. earlier in the fall. Meanwhile, the Cowboys sent the Jets a first-round draft pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2026 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to land Williams.
“I’m f—– pumped,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said about the Williams trade.
What Brian Schottenheimer likes about Quinnen Williams
A Tuesday report revealed that Williams’ “preferred destination was the Cowboys” after his relationship with the Jets declined. On Tuesday, Schottenheimer gave outsiders some insight into why Dallas paid such a high price to acquire Williams after the club notched only three wins over the campaign’s first nine weeks.
“He’s just a difference maker,” Schottenheimer said. “The ability to affect the interior part of the pocket from a pass rush standpoint…very disruptive. For us, there’s certain calls you make and you’re aware of when he’s in the game because he’s just so disruptive.”
Schottenheimer will have Williams and Wilson on the practice field when the Cowboys begin preparing for a Nov. 17 clash with the Las Vegas Raiders. 2-6 Las Vegas plays at the Denver Broncos (7-2) on Thursday night.
