Cowboys' Connor Williams Signs with Dolphins, Joins Trade Bait La'el Collins
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys told us they will spend this offseason "reloading'' the offensive line. But so far, it's just been "unloading.''
PFN thinks guard Connor Williams is the No. 40 ranked free agent; the Cowboys did not think of him that highly, and now the DFW native and former Texas Longhorns standout is departing Dallas for a two-year, $14 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.
And no, the Cowboys were never going to go there, though the Dolphins obviously agree with the PFN evaluation ...
Most Cowboys fans are probably aghast at the sight of his contract projection. Nobody in the NFL held more than Connor Williams in 2021. In fact, he had double the amount of holdings as the league leaders in 2020. It also doesn’t help that his lowlights stem from a lack of functional strength, which leads to him being walked back into Prescott’s lap.
But the holdings weren’t an issue before this season, and Williams has improved each year. He’s an above-average starting left guard in the NFL, and Cowboys fans are simply spoiled to the core after having endless resources spent on the offensive line over the past 30 years.
Williams will be an improvement at the position for anybody looking to seriously upgrade the spot. It also wouldn’t surprise me if he slid inside to center eventually to try and mitigate those anchor issues. Despite those issues, he allowed just 1 sack in 569 pass-blocking snaps and only 13 total pressures overall this year.
Spotrac Market Value: 4 years, $52.9 million
The Cowboys, working to keep QB Dak Prescott upright in 2022, could have revamped Williams' left guard spot - where, even with all the criticism, the former second-rounder has been difficult to beat out - by moving tackle La'el Collins there.
But the team is not exactly enamored with Collins, either, and is allowing him to seek his own trade - even threatening to cut him outright if no deal can be forged.
That's two long-time starters in the Dallas offensive line who are heading out the door.
Free agency might not be where Dallas turns next for O-line help. Maybe the NFL Draft in April will see the "reload.''
Follow FishSports on Twitter
Follow Cowboys / Fish on Facebook
Subscribe to the Cowboys Fish Report on YouTube for constant daily Cowboys live-stream podcasts and reports!
