The Cowboys found another way to needle the Eagles this offseason, and this one comes with a contract attached.
Dallas locked in Quinnen Williams on an extension that lands at a new AAV of $30 million, a number that looks even better when set next to what Philadelphia handed Jalen Carter. Carter’s four-year deal came in at $152 million and can climb to $160 million, with a $38 million annual price tag that reset the defensive tackle market. Williams, by contrast, is getting paid well below that level.
The gap matters because the comparison on the field doesn’t scream that Carter is operating on a different tier. Williams and Carter each logged almost the same workload last season - 640 defensive snaps for Williams, 639 for Carter - which makes the numbers easy to stack up side by side.
Williams finished with 35 run stops, 51 pressures, a 19.6% pass-rush win rate, 108 pass-rush wins since ’23, 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Carter posted 17 run stops, 41 pressures, an 11.8% pass-rush win rate, 99 pass-rush wins since ’23, 41 tackles, five tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
Carter is three years younger, but Williams comes without the off-the-field concerns attached to Carter. Put it all together, and Dallas got the cheaper player while getting production that is at least in the same conversation.
And that wasn’t the only place the Cowboys have gotten the better of Philadelphia this offseason. Jerry Jones and Brian Schottenheimer made a point of adding veteran Jalen Thompson on a big deal, then filled out the roster with P.J.
Locke, Cobie Durant, Sam Howell and Otito Ogbonnia on team-friendly contracts. Philadelphia’s biggest move in free agency was re-signing punter Braden Mann.
The Eagles did add Riq Woolen, along with trades for Jonathan Greenard and Dontayvion Wicks. But they also traded A.J.
Brown and drafted Makai Lemon, who isn’t exactly impressing in the early going. On top of that, Philadelphia lost Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship in free agency.
So while it’s hard to make a case that the Eagles got better this offseason, it’s nearly impossible to say Dallas didn’t. The Williams extension is just the latest sign of that. And it may end up helping the Cowboys keep two star receivers on the roster - something Philadelphia couldn’t do.
In Other News...
Sean McVay Just Gave Cowboys Fans Real Hope About This Defense
The Cowboys defense has been one of the more encouraging parts of camp, and a strong preseason showing against the Rams only added to that impression. In joint practice and game action, Dallas gave Los Angeles enough problems to draw praise from Sean McVay, who pointed to the way the roster has been reshaped and singled out players such as Justin Barron and Shavon Revel for standing out.
For a unit that has been under the microscope, that kind of outside respect matters. The front seven in particular looks improved, and the overall defensive group has shown more pop than plenty of people expected this early. The bigger question now is whether those flashes in August can turn into something sturdier once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Offseason Hype Just Ran Into A Brutal Reality Check
The Cowboys head into 2026 with one of the leagues rarest advantages, bringing back all 11 offensive starters while pairing that continuity with a defense that has been completely reworked under a first-year coordinator. On paper, it is the kind of setup that can fuel real optimism in Dallas, especially when so much of the roster is already familiar and the offensive side does not have to spend August learning on the fly.
Still, the early outside read on the Cowboys has been far less enthusiastic. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk slotted them 17th in his preseason power rankings and made it clear he is not ready to buy into Super Bowl talk, citing the franchises long history as part of the skepticism. The first chance to see any of that new-look roster in action comes in a preseason game against the Seahawks, though the starters are not expected to play, leaving the bigger questions for later. [Read more 🡒]
Tony Romo Suddenly Faces A Career Threat Cowboys Fans Didn't Expect
Tony Romos post-playing career has hit an unexpected pause, with CBS Sports putting the former Cowboys quarterback on leave after his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. The network has not made a final call on his future, but the situation has quickly become one of the biggest questions around one of the NFLs most visible broadcasters, especially for fans who have followed his transition from the Dallas huddle to the TV booth.
For now, the matter is headed toward court, with Romo scheduled to appear on September 21. In the meantime, CBS is keeping its options open, even as former analyst Boomer Esiason has suggested Romos run at the network could be finished, leaving a familiar name from Cowboys history in the middle of an uncertain stretch. [Read more 🡒]