FRISCO, Texas – Just a few days after the arrest of defensive end Sam Williams, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said he doesn't believe it will affect the team on the field this year.
"I don't anticipate this impacting his time on the field," Jones said to reporters on Wednesday at The Star. "And I do have all the details. There are some lessons to be learned there for everybody."
The second-year defensive end was arrested on Sunday by Frisco police on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawfully carrying of a weapon, according to reports.
"He hit the wrong combination of things," Jones said. "When you add those together … it's something that everybody ought to think about."
Formally, the Cowboys have not made an official statement regarding the arrest, but are aware of the news and will work directly with Williams as they continue to monitor the situation as it goes through the legal process.
Williams has played in both preseason games, including last Saturday's game in Seattle in which the team returned home to Dallas Sunday morning.
He did have another off-the-field incident last December when he was involved in a two-car accident that resulted in an arrest warrant. Williams and the other driver were both hospitalized but neither suffered serious injuries. Williams did miss the following game that weekend with a neck strain.
Since being drafted in the second round by the Cowboys out of Ole Miss, Williams has been productive on the field, leading the team with seven tackles for loss last year, despite a limited role on defense. Williams also had four sacks and 20 quarterback pressures.
