In the age of the salary cap, an NFL roster is a fragile entity. One single absence, or addition, has the potential to completely tip the balance for a team. Gone are the days of extreme depth. Each player is a piece of the puzzle, with some pieces proving to be almost impossible to replace. The Dallas Cowboys recently announced they are on the cusp of welcoming back one of those key pieces, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
After an almost year-long absence from the field, cornerback Trevon Diggs is making his return to the Cowboys active roster. Injuries had held the former All-Pro to just 13 games since 2022 with the 26-year-old residing on the PUP list throughout the entirety of Dallas’ 2025 training camp.
Rehabbing away from team facilities earned Diggs fines and rather pointed comments from the Cowboys front office this summer. The fines dropped Diggs 2025 base salary down to $8.5 million. With an undetermined return date and bad blood beginning to simmer, there were concerns Diggs might miss half the season. Those concerns were put to bed when it was announced the star cornerback passed his physical and is headed onto the active the roster before the 53-man cutdown.
This revelation flips an entire position group on its head.
Assuming Diggs resembles the player he was before the back-to-back knee injuries, the Cowboys CB room went from extreme weakness to bona fide strength almost overnight. Instead of relying on bubble players like Zion Childress, Andrew Booth and Kemon Hall to potentially start, the Cowboys can now use them how they’re supposed to be used – as depth.
With DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam and Diggs as the top three CBs, the Cowboys are without an obvious weak link in their secondary. Elam’s preseason has been solid, to say the least, with the former first-round pick finally playing up to his billing. Who exactly plays in the slot is still a question the Cowboys must answer but at least Diggs' return opens up options.
Childress has been a breath of fresh air inside and should get ample nickel opportunities in 2025 given his coverage skills, closing speed and tackling ability. A role in the slot, especially early in the season, seems ideal for Childress and a hefty dose of musical chairs should be expected as Diggs ramps up into game shape.
Diggs may not be back in time for the Cowboys’ Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he shouldn’t be far behind. With two All-Pros atop the Cowboys depth chart, Dallas looks far more prepared to compete in 2025 because a weakness has suddenly flipped into a strength.
