Cowboys Country

3 facts about new Cowboys DL Quinnen Williams you need to know

The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a massive trade with the New York Jets to acquire defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.

Zach Dimmitt

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium.
New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Jerry Jones has made right on his trade deadline promises.

The Dallas Cowboys made a blockbuster trade before the Nov. 4 deadline, acquiring New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Wiliams in exchange for defensive tackle Mazi Smith, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick.

Dallas traded for Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson earlier in the day, but this clearly takes the cake. Hats off to the Cowboys' front office for being brave enough to get the deal done with the Jets.

MORE: 4 more trades Dallas Cowboys need to make after Logan Wilson deal

With Williams now a Cowboy, here are three facts fans need to know about him before he arrives to Arlington:

Quinnen Williams is a Three-Time Pro Bowler

New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams
New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams warms up before a game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. / Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Williams was the third overall pick by the Jets in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Alabama, and he's lived up to his first-round billing.

Still just 27 years old, Williams has plenty left in the tank despite already being in his seventh season. He's made the Pro Bowl the last three years, which included a First-Team All-Pro finish in 2022 when he had 12 sacks.

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So far this season, he's posted 32 total tackles (17 solo), one sack and a career-high three forced fumbles. In his career, Williams has started 94 of 98 games while tallying 322 total tackles, 40 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 14 pass breakups, an interception and a safety.

Quinnen Williams Has a Brother in NFL

Quinnen Williams and Quincy Williams
New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Quincy Williams exchange jerseys after the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets at TIAA Bank Field. / Douglas DeFelice-Imagn Images

Williams' older brother, Quincy, is a linebacker for the Jets. He was a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Murray State by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Unfortunately for the siblings, the trade will seperate them for the remainder of the season after spending the past five years together.

Quincy is hardly a slouch in his own right, as he earned First-Team All-Pro honors during the 2023 season. Talk about a talented family.

Quinnen Williams is Fifth First-Round Pick on Cowboys D-Line

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams
New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams celebrates a defensive stop against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Williams joins Kenny Clark, Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler Jr. and Solomon Thomas as the fifth former first-round pick to be featured on Dallas' defensive line. Goodbye, Mazi Smith.

MORE: Jerry Jones refuses to rule out Cowboys coaching changes after ugly Cardinals loss

Though each player is at different stages of their career, it's clear the Cowboys have talent up front, but now need to have it all come together for the final part of the season.

Williams joins Clark as the two primary run-stoppers up front. Hopefully their pairing can do wonders for the Cowboys defense moving forward.

Quinnen Williams
New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He currently is an editor and contributor across several ON SI team sites, including Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI, and contributes to the On SI channels for the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. Zach started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. During his career, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7.

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