FRISCO, Texas — Having now heard from the two young edge rushers whom the Dallas Cowboys will also lean heavily upon following the decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just days ahead of their regular season clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, it's time for the veterans in the room to weigh in — namely Sam Williams and Dante Fowler.
Fowler reunited with the Cowboys this offseason after a career-best season in the nation's capital for Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders, and Williams is entering his fourth year with more than enough to prove as he returns from a torn ACL in a contract year.
In the absence of Parsons, Williams will see a hefty uptick in opportunities to pursue opposing quarterbacks. It's been 20 months since Williams has taken an in-game snap, going down with the aforementioned torn ACL in July 2024 at the start of training camp so, needless to say, he's drooling for action.
"I'm very hungry," Williams said as he prepares to chase Jalen Hurts. "But, at the same time, I'm patient, you know? We've 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 starts making penalties and jumping [offsides] and all that stuff.
"I just want to be, man, I just want to be great, man."
He went on to describe how he can be exactly that — a former second-round pick and school record-setter for Ole Miss in 2021.
"It's me versus me this year," said the 26-year-old. "I don't look at anybody else. I just look at the man in front of me and I gotta beat them."
As noted, Williams won't be the only one tasked with trying to replace Parsons' missing production, a group that also includes James Houston, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Marshawn Kneeland, but it's Fowler who has the most skins on the wall and, as such, inherits the role as leader of the group.
"I was doing that in Washington when I was leading my team in sacks, so it ain't nothing new," said Fowler of the added responsibilities. "I'm definitely ready to step up. … I lead by example. I lead by coming in here being a pro and dominating on the field. That's how I lead.
"But as far as talking to the [young] guys goes, I mean, I've been doing that when I was here in Dallas [previously]. Micah was a big leader on the field for us and showed us how to make plays and stuff like that, but as far as talking to the young guys, I definitely have to step up in a way on the field — just to show them this is how you go about things. I'm looking forward to it."
Fowler has long felt underrated by the league as a whole, at times taking to social media to voice that angst toward his doubters, and he proved he deserves to be in the conversation of the best edge rushers by racking up 10.5 sacks in 2024; and with only seven starts.
He'll get far more than seven starts in his latest stint with the Cowboys though, and that could mean another, possibly more explosive, season from him, and especially if the acquisition of three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark makes the impact the team believes it will.
"Anytime I have an opportunity to go out there and step on the field and showcase who I am, and I feel like I'm one of the best out there, I'm gonna do that," said Fowler. "I love it, to be honest with you, being able to have guys push the pocket and make my job way more easier. It broke and crushed my heart when I heard that Micah was leaving, but when I heard that we were getting Kenny Clark, I got excited."
As it stands, moving on from Parsons still leaves the Cowboys' pass rush in the hands of a former first-round pick and not one or two, but three different former (and current) second-round picks.
That's a ton of potential that simply needs to be realized far sooner than originally intended, as early as Thursday night under the bright lights of primetime football against a bitter rival.
It's go time.
