The Dallas Cowboys released defensive end Sam Williams on Sunday, but it didn't take long for the former second-round draft pick to find a new NFL home. The Cleveland Browns signed Williams to their 53-man active roster on Tuesday. The team also signed cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, placing defensive tackle Kalia Davis on injured reserve and waiving cornerback Michael Coats Jr. in corresponding moves.
Williams entered the league as the Cowboys' No. 56 overall draft pick in 2022. He finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, recording four sacks, 10 tackles for loss, nine QB hits and three fumble recoveries in his debut campaign. Williams missed the entire 2024 season due to an ACL injury suffered in training camp.
Through 17 games and five starts last season, he bounced back with a career-high 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four QB hits and one sack. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer explained the team's decision to cut Williams, despite a strong preseason showing this year. "There’s nothing that Sam didn’t do.
And I thought he played awesome against New Orleans. But when you make these decisions, you’ve got to be very smart and careful that you don’t overvalue the last preseason game. It’s part of the process.
It’s part of all the joints and the training camp practices and then the special teams," Schottenheimer told reporters on Monday. The Browns will begin their 2026 season with a Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 13.
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