OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys did not trade for Quinnen Williams last November with plans to make him a short-term addition. That was Jerry Jones‘ message Thursday, two days after Dallas agreed to a three-year, $105.9 million extension with Williams and one day after the deal became official.
Williams is now under contract through the 2030 season at an average of $35.3 million per year.
Jones said Dallas knew what it would take financially before making the November trade with the New York Jets. The Cowboys also had the draft capital available to complete the move.
“With the type of commitment that clubs make, where Quinnen is, you can’t do that but some six, seven times under our rules with our salary cap,” Jones said. “So boy, you want to be very judicious and you want that to go to people who are really solid both physically and talented as a player, but also really solid people. I don’t know that he’s got a peer, and he’s playing alongside guys like Dak and what have you. It was every bit a part of our plan. The minute we had a chance to trade for him, we traded for him. We knew we had the room in front of us, we knew we had the picks to do it. It was a culmination for me of what we did last year to get it.”
Cowboys Paid a Premium to Get Williams
Dallas acquired Williams on Nov. 4, sending the Jets a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The first-rounder is tied back to the Micah Parsons trade. New York will receive the higher of Dallas’ or Green Bay’s 2027 first-round selections.
Williams played seven games after arriving and had 1.5 sacks and an interception.
His extension carries $101 million in guarantees. Of that amount, $63.35 million is guaranteed at signing, and Williams received a $31.85 million signing bonus.
At $35.3 million per year, Williams is second among NFL defensive tackles in average annual value. Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter is at $38 million.
Cowboys chief operating officer and co-owner Stephen Jones said earlier this week that keeping Williams beyond his existing contract was part of the plan when Dallas traded for him.
Quinnen Williams Joins Expensive Cowboys Core
Williams entered the league as the No. 3 overall pick of the Jets in 2019 after playing at Alabama.
Across seven seasons in New York, he totaled 343 tackles, 41.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles. Williams was a first-team All-Pro in 2022 and has made four straight Pro Bowls.
He is now part of a Dallas defensive front that also includes Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa.
The Cowboys have several large contracts already on the books. Quarterback Dak Prescott averages $60 million per year, while CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland and George Pickens are also at or above $20 million for 2026.
Williams will get his first preseason look from the sideline Saturday when Dallas opens at the Seattle Seahawks. Kickoff at Lumen Field is set for 7 p.m. CT on CBS 11 and NFL Network.
