This 2026 Dallas Cowboys roster is deeper than it has ever been in the last few years.
While the attention is usually on how deep the offense is, the Cowboys’ defense is looking better than ever. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has helped reconstruct this defense after they traded Micah Parsons away last year.
A projected five new starters are entering the lineup in 2026, with potentially more. The Cowboys revamped the secondary and added speed at edge rusher. One player on that defense might be the MVP of the team in the 2026 NFL season, not named Dak Prescott.
Dallas Cowboys’ Non-QB MVP of the 2026 NFL Season
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: Quinnen Williams #92 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
CBS Sports writer Jared Dubin wrote about every NFC team’s non-QB MVP for the 2026 season. For Dallas, Dubin looks at defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
“If all goes according to plan for the Cowboys this year, their defense will show significant improvement. Williams is the key to making that happen, wrecking games from the interior of the defensive line. In Christian Parker’s Vic Fangio-style defense, the penetrating defensive tackle has a huge role to play, and Williams is one of the best two-way interior linemen in the league, making him well-suited to success here.”
Williams made an immediate impact on the Cowboys in 2025, racking up 21 tackles, 9 quarterback hits, 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 pass deflection in 7 games. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight season after a six-and-a-half-year run with the New York Jets before being traded.
Pro Football Focus gave Williams the second-highest overall grade in the NFL last year with an 88.8. He also got a pass-rushing grade of 69.6 and scored the highest run-stopping grade in the league with 91.7.
Quinnen Williams Sets the Tone for Cowboys’ Defense in 2026
GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: Quinnen Williams #92 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Dallas had one of the worst defenses in the NFL, but that was not because of Williams. He saved them from being way down the rankings.
The Cowboys’ biggest weakness on defense was the secondary after finishing last in pass defense. They retooled that unit and will lean on Williams to help elevate the front seven.
Williams can help with stopping the run, as he does it better than anyone else in the NFL. Even as a pass rusher, he’s about as good as it gets at the defensive tackle position.
Things could get much worse than what they were last year, so the Cowboys should be in prime position to bounce back. If Williams can get the job done, this Dallas team will be elevated to heights they haven’t been at in a long time. It all comes down to what he can do for them on defense, though.
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