2012 NFL Free Agents: Should Mario Williams Be a Target for Dallas Cowboys?

When I first thought long and hard about whether or not the Dallas Cowboys should go after the 2012 offseason’s most coveted prize, it really didn’t seem worth it to me.

Dallas is already paying a huge premium for outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware. Then there is the other combined investment in defensive linemen Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears and Jason Hatcher.

I just couldn’t do the math (couldn't in high school either).

When I thought about it harder, and more about the other glaring needs facing this teetering franchise, it was obvious that the biggest issue of all was not being able to keep the franchise, literally, on the field.

Tony Romo simply has to be better protected or the Cowboys don’t even need to worry about lining up on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, etc. This means offensive linemen need to arrive quickly via free agency and/or the draft.

Notice I said linemen as opposed to lineman.

But then something hit me really hard.

About the two biggest player acquisitions I can recall were Green Bay’s free-agent signing of defensive end Reggie White in 1993 and Dallas’ trade for Charles Haley the year before.

Those two players eventually combined for four world championships from 1993 through 1997.

With Super Bowl XLVI still fresh on everyone’s mind, the echo of names like Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora should ring pretty loud still.

Arguably the best free agent available in 2012 is Houston Texans outside linebacker Mario Williams.

Even despite his torn pectoral muscle, which required season-ending surgery to repair, Williams is far and away the best pass-rusher available.

At first glance, the only thing keeping Dallas fans from salivating over this idea is the assumption that Houston would never let Williams out of its reach. After all, Williams was the first overall selection in the 2006 NFL draft and he’s averaged just over 10 sacks per year if you take away his abbreviated 2011 campaign and his rookie season.

Fact is, Houston saw other defensive players generate pressure on the quarterback in Williams’ absence.

Remember that the Texans reached the divisional round of the playoffs before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. Not only did the best NFL team in Texas reach that postseason depth without Williams but also without their starting quarterback Matt Schaub.

That’s how effective Houston’s defense was last season.

Also remember that the Texans have to decide on whether or not they keep restricted free-agent running back Arian Foster who might garner some surprising interest from around the league.

I predict that Houston will keep their 26-year-old running back right where he is, while expecting Schaub to be ready for 2013.    

The writing is on the wall for Williams, who earned a base salary of $13.8 million last season.

How much more money can Houston sink into this pass-rusher while knowing that they have others?

I don’t think they will or can—not if the Texans aspire to reach the Super Bowl in 2012.

Dallas owner/general manager Jerry Jones is sick and tired.

Never before has Jones been so heavily scrutinized and even ridiculed in the national media.

This is saying a whole lot.

This is the man that fired both Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson, and still managed to win multiple championships in the early to mid-1990s.

Not having been able to make a really big splash in free agency since the Terrell Owens signing (the same year Williams entered the NFL), Jones is primed to fire all weapons available this year not to prove that he can win another Super Bowl, but that he can dig "America’s Team" out of a record of 16-18 the last two seasons.

I believe Williams is his ticket—as in season tickets.  

There’s only one scenario that would make acquiring Williams a waste.

If the Cowboys brought in “Super Mario” intending to leave Ratliff at nose guard and to simply install Williams at defensive end, then it would garner little if anything. The Cowboys would still give up too many rushing yards and it would be mostly up to the offense to outscore opponents. This idea could work but it really isn’t very likely.

Plus, it’s been only half a year since Dallas extended the contracts of defensive ends Spears and Hatcher, and I don’t see the Cowboys pouring another boatload of money into that position.

A better idea is to bring in Williams to replace Anthony Spencer at outside linebacker, a move similar to what Dallas tried with fair success in 2007 with Greg Ellis.

Like Ellis, Williams is a defensive lineman that is athletic enough to drop into coverage and pursue running backs to the outside. As pass-rushers, they both can generate a bigger head of steam while standing up further away from the edge of the offensive line, and this can certainly pay dividends.

But this can also cost you in terms of coverage schemes and I’m not a big fan of linemen dropping into coverage after their first three or four seasons. These guys need to be rushing the quarterback.

Here’s the best idea: The Cowboys sign Williams in conjunction with a planned and formal shift back to the good ole 4-3 alignment that brought us the “Doomsday,” along with those young, deep and fast defenses that made any Pro Bowl quarterbacks they faced look like they had never played the position before.

Imagine a defensive line consisting of Ware and Williams at defensive end, along with a tackle rotation of Ratliff, Spears, Hatcher and perhaps a first-round pick like Devon Still of Penn State.

Seriously?

Now all of this is predicated on a move that may or may not happen but it’s curious that head coach Jason Garrett has acknowledged openly that a shift to the 4-3 scheme is a possibility.

Think about it.

The linebackers are already set with Sean Lee moving to middle linebacker, his position in college, while a retained Anthony Spencer and second-year player in Bruce Carter fill out the other starting linebacker spots.

Finally, the 2012 NFL draft could be all about adding to the secondary (and probably significantly), as well as the offensive line.

You think that Jones wants to flush more money on aging offensive linemen who may only have a few years left in them?

He just did that and he’s still recovering from it.

Free agency begins March 13, 2012.    

Jones should have Williams on his private jet March 14, 1012.