The Dallas Cowboys are signing a veteran defensive end to replace the injured Sam Williams.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys are signing 29-year-old defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. Muhammad was one of several pass rushers Dallas worked out on Thursday, August 1, which included the likes of Carl Lawson, Justin Hollins and Shaka Toney. Muhammad will help fill the void left over by the injured Williams, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury during training camp practice on Sunday, July 28.
“Cowboys are signing former Colts free-agent defensive end Al Quadin Muhammad to a one-year deal,” writes Schefter on Thursday, August 1.
Al-Quadin Muhammad Has Been Suspended 3 Different Times
Muhammad initially entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints back in 2017 after spending a large portion of his collegiate career on the suspension list. After appearing in five games during his freshman season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2013, he was handed a season-long suspension after an altercation with a teammate during the 2014 season. After playing a full season in 2015 – he posted 54 tackles and five sacks – he was suspended for the 2016 season and eventually dismissed after violating NCAA rules.
The 6-foot-4 Muhammad has had a journeyman career since entering the NFL, playing with the Saints during his rookie season in 2017 before spending the next four years with the Indianapolis Colts. Muhammed then spent the 2022 season with the Chicago Bears before returning to the Colts for a second stint during the 2023 season.
Muhammad was actually suspended at the end of the 2023 season due to violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.
Over the course of his NFL career, Muhammad holds career totals of 157 tackles and 12 sacks in 84 games played and 34 starts.
Cowboys Also Sign Former Commanders DE Shaka Toney
The Cowboys are signing another pass-rushing veteran in the wake of Williams’ season-ending injury.
According to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, the Cowboys are signing defensive end Shaka Toney.
“I’m told the Cowboys are planning to sign DE Shaka Toney today as well, per source,” writes Anderson on Thursday, August 1.
The 26-year-old Toney is a former seventh-round draft selection of the Washington Commanders. In 26 games and one start with the Commanders over two seasons, Toney posted 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He also saw 73% of the special teams snaps during the 2022 season.
However, the 6-foot-2 Toney was suspended indefinitely by the league after betting on games for the 2023 season. He was reinstated earlier this year and released by the Commanders days later.
Update on CeeDee Lamb Contract Talks
The Cowboys are still intent on getting a deal done with holdout CeeDee Lamb, but a deal isn’t “close,” according to an update from Schefter.
“[Lamb is] still not in camp for the Dallas Cowboys,” Schefter said on SportsCenter on Wednesday, July 31. “The two sides still are at an impasse over the value that CeeDee Lamb would bring to Dallas this upcoming season. It should not be a hard contract to figure out. Most people around the league believe the two sides will eventually be able to figure out a way to get a contract done to get CeeDee Lamb back into training camp. But he still is not there and the sides still do not appear to be close.”
Lamb is coming off of a career-best season in which he posted a league-leading 135 catches for 1,749 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract that pays him a tad under $18 million for the 2024 season. Lamb’s market value is $34 million per season across four years for over $136 million, according to Spotrac.
