After hosting a plethora of free agents, the Dallas Cowboys signed wide receiver Seth Williams and pass rusher Luiji Vilain. The Cowboys opted to sign Williams over several other free agents the team hosted for an October 8, 2024, workout, including former second-round pick Denzel Mims.
“The Cowboys are signing WR Seth Williams and DE Luiji Vilain to practice squad after a workout Tuesday,” ESPN’s Todd Archer detailed in an October 8, message on X. “The club also worked out WRs Denzel Mims, Dante Pettis, Chad Cota, QB Max Duggan and DE Shaka Toney. DE Carl Lawson will be called up to 53-man roster from practice squad.”
Here’s what you need to know about Williams and Vilain.
Seth Williams Gives the Cowboys a Sizable Receiver at 6-Foot-3
Williams gives the Cowboys a big-bodied wideout at 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds. The receiver was selected by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft. Coming out of Auburn, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein highlighted Williams as being a legit red zone threat.
“The lack of urgency and inconsistencies as a big pass catcher can be maddening during tape study,” Zierlein detailed in his pre-draft profile of the receiver. “Williams is a different receiver in the red zone, where his size and length are huge advantages on jump-ball battles. However, between the 20s, his routes lack salesmanship, he’s unable to create separation and he fails to use his size to prevail.
“Despite some of the flashes and his overall potential, he doesn’t have the field demeanor of a player with an NFL-caliber competitive streak. His physical traits are certainly worthy of a Day 3 selection, but he needs to play with more passion if he wants to make it as a long-term pro.”
Seth Williams Gives the Cowboys Some Receiver Depth With Brandin Cooks on Injured Reserve
Nick Harris @NickHarrisFWST·Follow
New Cowboys practice squad additions DE Luiji Vilain (53) and WR Seth Williams (13) made their practice debuts today #DallasCowboys
The move come as starting receiver Brandin Cooks is on Injured Reserve. Unfortunately, Williams has had minimal success in the NFL. Pettis or Mims would have been bigger names given their high draft status.
Denver released Williams in August 2022 as the team finalized the 53-man roster ahead of the start of the season. Williams went on to have several short stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Heading Into the 2022 NFL Draft, Luiji Vilain Was Praised for his ‘Explosiveness & Upside’
As for Vilain, the pass rusher has played for the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers. Coming out of Wake Forest, Vilain went undrafted in 2022 prior to these recent NFL stints. Here’s how Zierlein described Vilain heading into the 2022 NFL draft.
“Vilain could catch a ‘project’ label or a ‘diamond in the rough’ tag, but he’s worthy of more than just a cursory conversation for teams,” Zierlein wrote in the defender’s pre-draft profile. “He never lived up to his four-star billing at Michigan and saw little playing time, but his explosiveness and upside frequently flashed on his Wake Forest tape from the 2021 season.
“He’s not a naturally instinctive player and lacks consistency as a run defender, but Vilain’s measurables, athletic traits and upside as a pass rusher should make him worthy of a Day 3 pick.”