Additionally, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs recently went on injured reserve. His right knee concern is enough to be worried about his short or long-term status with the organization. The injury occurred in the leadup to the Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears. It has in some ways irreparably damaged his legacy as a player. Diggs signed a five-year extension with Seattle worth $97 million, $33 million of which was guaranteed. Since inking that contract, he’s had a tough time remaining on the field.
Since signing the extension, Diggs has now only played in 19 of 47 possible games. In his few games played this season, he logged 13 tackles and a tackle for loss. He came away with just two pressures on the night. With zero interceptions or pass deflections, his metrics took a nosedive. That makes his absence from the last preseason game against the Washington Commanders all the more complicating for his place on the team.
The Cowboys have started to figure out how to ride Diggs’ return, having opened his practice window on November 30. They now have until Saturday to add him back to the 53-man roster. If they fail to pull the trigger on this deal, he goes back to injured reserve for the remainder of the season. This will decrease his contribution for the rest of the year cumulatively. Team owner Jerry Jones has suggested that Diggs is not ready to be a full time participant on defense, either.
“Diggs isn’t healthy enough to be out there for us. Period.” – Jerry Jones
Although there are still hurdles, signs point toward Diggs being very much ready to win his role back in the locker room. He recently met with Coach Eberflus to discuss potential strategies, including a request to play more man coverage, showcasing his desire to be more involved in defensive schemes.
Brian Schottenheimer, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, put Diggs through a full workout conversation. They made a plan to monitor and improve upon exactly how well he was doing. This discussion appears to have been constructive as Schottenheimer emphasized Diggs’ commitment to contributing positively to team culture.
“No. 1, Trevon and I sat down and we had a very detailed conversation on Saturday,” – Brian Schottenheimer
Schottenheimer continued their conversation by explaining how he set strong expectations and standards for how an NFL team should play.
“I told him not only the reasons why but also the standards and expectations.” – Brian Schottenheimer
Following the game, Dak Prescott spoke to the emotional side of Diggs’ injury as well. He illustrated the necessity of keeping an optimistic approach in the face of challenges.
“It was just about keeping his head up,” – Dak Prescott
Diggs’ absence caused legit panic about the effectiveness of Dallas’ secondary. Unfortunately, this problem only gets exacerbated as they reach high-stakes, must-win games later this season. With his previous injuries including a concussion followed by the right knee issue, his availability against upcoming opponents remains uncertain.
After a two-month layoff from game action, the hope was that Diggs would be ready to go against the Minnesota Vikings. His knee injury makes things very difficult. Fans and analysts alike are left wondering when he’ll make a full recovery.
With this in mind, the Cowboys have to decide how to play the rest of Diggs’ tenure in Dallas. They have to choose smartly in an oh so competitive league. The prospect of losing such a high-profile player as James to the last line of their defensive strategy would have dire consequences.
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