The Cleveland Browns have signed former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams to a one-year contract. The move adds the 2022 second-round pick to their active roster just days after he was released by Dallas. But while Williams has found a new NFL home, the financial implications of his departure from Texas are far from settled.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, if Williams’ deal in Cleveland is for the veteran minimum of $1.215 million and he remains on the roster for Week 1, the Cowboys would still owe him $185,000.
Additionally, Dallas would receive a corresponding cap credit at the end of the season. This stems from the offset language built into the one-year, $2.5 million contract Williams signed with the Cowboys back in March, which included $2 million in guaranteed money.
If Sam Williams' deal in Cleveland is for the $1.215m minimum and he is on the roster Week 1, the Cowboys would owe him $185k, and they would receive a cap credit at the end of the season.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 1, 2026 What's New
Williams’ original deal with Dallas carried a $2.5 million cap hit for 2026, with a $1.4 million base salary and a $600,000 signing bonus. The Cowboys guaranteed $2 million of that total. When Dallas released Williams during final roster cuts, they remained on the hook for that guaranteed money.
How the Cowboys still owe Sam Williams
(Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
However, because the contract includes an offset clause, any money Williams earns from his new team reduces what the Cowboys must pay.
The math works as follows. With Williams signing in Cleveland for the $1.215 million minimum, the Cowboys’ obligation is reduced by that amount. Dallas would owe the difference, approximately $185,000, assuming Williams is on the Browns’ 53-man roster for Week 1. If Cleveland had signed him for more, the Cowboys’ financial exposure would have been even less.
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Williams’ Cowboys tenure and departure
Williams, now in his fifth NFL season out of Mississippi, appeared in 49 career games for the Cowboys. Over that span, he recorded 9.5 career sacks, 53 solo tackles, 32 assists, and four fumble recoveries. His 2025 season saw him play 17 games with 474 defensive snaps, producing 25 tackles, 24 total pressures, and one sack.
The 2026 season was supposed to be a bounce-back year for Williams after he missed his pivotal third season with an ACL tear. He had signed a one-year extension with Dallas this offseason, but the Cowboys’ addition of veteran pass rusher Von Miller ultimately cost Williams his roster spot.
What this means for Dallas
For the Cowboys, the offset clause provides a measure of financial relief. Without it, Dallas would have been responsible for the full $2 million guarantee. Instead, they will likely owe only a fraction of that amount, with a cap credit coming at the end of the season to further ease the salary cap burden.
The situation serves as a reminder of the importance of offset language in NFL contracts. For a Cowboys team managing a tight salary cap, every dollar saved matters. And for Williams, a fresh start in Cleveland offers an opportunity to prove he can still be the impactful edge rusher the Cowboys envisioned when they selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft.
