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Trevon Diggs

Cowboys Aim To Add Another Weapon; Team Eyeing Extensions For CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs

March 3rd, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys have Michael Gallup entering the second year of his five-year extension, and the team’s No. 2 wide receiver is now more than a year removed from his ACL tear. The team is also expected to use the franchise tag to keep Tony Pollard off the market. But it is eyeing an addition to its skill-position corps as well.

Dallas will pursue a “dynamic weapon” this offseason, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes. This will naturally reconnect the Cowboys to Odell Beckham Jr., but Gehlken cautions nothing is imminent there. The addition could also come in the draft.

It also might come at tight end, as Dalton Schultz is likely to leave in free agency. Headlined by Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, this tight class is viewed as the best in many years. Both those options could well be gone by the time the Cowboys’ No. 26 overall pick arrives. This draft’s receiver class is not viewed as highly, at least compared to the past few, and Stephen Jones‘ comments of the team readying to use the franchise tag almost certainly point to Pollard being the recipient. It would cost just $10.1MM for the Cowboys to keep Pollard. It would be the sixth straight year in which Dallas has used the tag.

As far as veteran receivers go, Beckham headlines a free agency crop not viewed glowingly. It would be interesting to see the Cowboys pay Gallup, tag Pollard and spend on another wide receiver. The team also has designs on extending CeeDee Lamb, with Jones indicating (via the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins) both he and Trevon Diggs are in the team’s long-term plans.

Lamb’s fifth-year option will be picked up, Gehlken adds, as could be expected given his status as a cornerstone player for the team. This would lock in Lamb through 2024, with his price rising next year. Without a fifth-year option available regarding Diggs, a second-round pick, the Cowboys will soon see their top cornerback enter a contract year.

Beyond Beckham, the market stands to include JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers, DJ Chark and Allen Lazard. Michael Thomas also looks to be available, but the former Saints All-Pro has missed much of the past three seasons. At close to his best, Beckham would qualify as a dynamic weapon. He showed that during the Rams’ 2021 Super Bowl run, one that included an explosive Beckham Super Bowl LVI start before his ACL tear. Beckham did not play last season, healing the second of his two ACL tears sustained during the 2020s, and will turn 31 during the 2023 slate. The Cowboys, Rams and Giants are expected to resume their pursuits of the eight-year veteran, and while Dallas was viewed as the favorite during the late-season sweepstakes, this will be one of the harder price projections to make in recent free agency history.

The Cowboys ended up selling low on Amari Cooper, collecting late-round picks from the Browns for their former No. 1 receiver, and Gallup did not show his previous form after returning from the December 2021 ACL tear. Third-round pick Jalen Tolbert did not acclimate as quickly as the team hoped, Gehlken adds. The South Alabama alum did not see much action last season, and the Cowboys cut James Washington not long after he recovered from his summer foot fracture. Lamb, Gallup and Tolbert are the top receivers under contract; six-year Cowboy Noah Brown is also a free agent. Gallup also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery a few weeks ago but is expected to be ready for OTAs.

Cowboys target Brandin Cooks is again available via trade, though the Texans’ new price point remains to be seen, but Gehlken adds the team is not close on trading for a pass catcher. DeAndre Hopkins joins Cooks in being on the trade block. Jonathan Gannon stopped short of guaranteeing Hopkins will be a Cardinal in 2023, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes, and the former All-Pro’s 2022 PED suspension voided his no-trade clause.

Dallas’ recent big skill-position swings have moved the needle significantly. Cooper made two Pro Bowls as a Cowboy and reeled off three 1,000-yard seasons, while Lamb — chosen after Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy but before Justin Jefferson — broke through for a career-high 1,359 yards and nine touchdown catches in 2022. It appears a serious effort to complement Lamb and Pollard will commence soon.

Cowboys Rule Out Three For Week 18

January 7th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

More names are being added to the list of players the Cowboys will be without for Saturday’s regular season finale against the Eagles. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that cornerback Trevon Diggs, safety Jayron Kearse and running back Tony Pollard will not travel with the team to Philadelphia. As such, they have been ruled out. 

The news comes after Dallas learned of multiple other key pieces they will be without on Saturday. Defensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Micah Parsons tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, and it was announced that the same was true of left tackle Tyron Smith and cornerback Anthony Brown on Thursday. A non-COVID illness is listed as the reason for Diggs’ absence, while hamstring and foot injuries are ailments sidelining Kearse and Pollard, respectively.

The loss to the secondary is huge for the Cowboys. Diggs has had a breakthrough second NFL season, with a league-leading 11 interceptions (two of which have been returned for touchdowns) along with 21 passes defensed. Kearse, meanwhile, has registered 101 tackles, two interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 16 games in 2021. Without these two starters, options to fill in include Kelvin Joseph at corner and Donovan Wilson at safety.

As for Pollard, Dallas will miss his production as well. His third season has been his best, posting 719 yards and two touchdowns on 130 carriers (for a 5.5 yards per carry average) along with 39 catches for 339 yards in the passing game. Without him, the Cowboys may need to lean more heavily on starter Ezekiel Elliott just one week before the playoffs start. In the event they want to keep him as fresh as possible, though, Corey Clement could see a big uptick in usage.

Of course, all of these absences would matter much more to the Cowboys if they extend beyond this week; Dallas has already clinched the NFC East, while the Eagles are also guaranteed a postseason berth regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s game.

 

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/20

December 19th, 2020 at 3:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs Done For Year?

November 10th, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys rookie Trevon Diggs might be done for the year. The cornerback suffered a late-game foot fracture on Sunday that will require at least 4-6 weeks to recover. The Cowboys will place Diggs on injured reserve, which keeps players sidelined for a minimum of three weeks. 

Now that we’re past the midpoint of the season, it will be tough for Diggs to return before its all over. The Cowboys won’t have much incentive to rush him back either. After falling 24-19 to the Steelers, the Cowboys are now 2-7 with little hope of reaching the postseason.

“I don’t know the prognosis in terms of long he’ll be out,” said owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday morning (via the team website). “I do know that he’s got the issue with his foot – again, I do not know the ultimate length of time that he’ll be out.”

Diggs, the No. 51 pick in this year’s draft, has been solid as of late. Unfortunately, he’ll have to put things on pause as he joins the Cowboys’ walking wounded. On offense alone, that list includes quarterback Dak Prescott, left tackle Tyron Smith, right tackle La’el Collins, and tight end Blake Jarwin.

Cowboys’ Chidobe Awuzie To Miss Time

September 24th, 2020 at 11:46am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys starting cornerback Chidobe Awuzie will miss multiple games with a hamstring injury, per a club announcement. Awuzie has not been placed on injured reserve, but that would be the logical move if he’s sidelined for three or more games.

[RELATED: Jared Veldheer Turns Down Cowboys, Retires]

Awuzie went down late in the Cowboys’ win over the Falcons, adding another name to the team’s already lengthy injury list. Already, the Cowboys have cornerback Anthony Brown and linebackers Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee on IR. Brown hit the IR list just as fellow corner Jourdan Lewis returned to action and Awuzie’s absence marks yet another hit to the secondary.

In the interim, the Cowboys will likely turn to recent call-up Brandon Carr for support at corner. Ideally, the Cowboys wanted the veteran at safety, where he backed Darian Thompson and Daryl Worley.

On the plus side, rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs returned to the practice field after missing some time with a shoulder injury. They’ll need the Alabama product more than ever given the Cowboys’ injuries on the defensive side of the ball.

Cowboys Choose CB Trevon Diggs At No. 51

April 24th, 2020 at 7:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

A player mentioned as a possible first-rounder will head to Dallas. Trevon Diggs went off the board to the Cowboys at No. 51, potentially filling a big need area for the team.

The younger brother of Stefon Diggs, Trevon would appear to be Dallas’ top offseason effort to replace Byron Jones.

Trevon Diggs did not post big stats while at Alabama — only accumulating 68 tackles in four seasons — but the 6-foot-1 talent was viewed as one of this draft’s top prospects nonetheless.

The Cowboys return rookie-contract corners Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, and Diggs should be expected to challenge for a starting spot as a rookie. Both Awuzie and Lewis are entering contract years, making it all the more important for Dallas to stock up at corner.

NFL Draft Rumors: Giants, Herbert, Tua

April 20th, 2020 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

Will the Giants actually consider quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 4 overall pick, even though they already have Daniel Jones under center? The answer is no, according to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, though GM Dave Gettleman has been eyeing him for quite some time. Had Herbert entered last year, he would have been Gettleman’s top choice, Pauline hears.

Here’s a look at the latest draft rumblings from around the NFL:

  • In private conversations, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has indicated that Herbert is not actually in consideration for the No. 5 pick, a source close to Ross tells Pauline. That same source says the pick will either be used on Tua Tagovailoa or a position player, with Jordan Love being selected sometime later. If it’s a non-QB at No. 5, Pauline hears that tackle Andrew Thomas is the most likely choice.
  • Multiple NFL execs tell ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler that the Vikings are looking to move back. The Vikings own Nos. 22 and 25, but they could fill their needs at cornerback and wide receiver later on. In the second round, they should be able to land one of this year’s second-tier corners such as Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, LSU’s Kristian Fulton, or Alabama’s Trevon Diggs – the brother of former Vikes receiver Stefon Diggs.
  • Based on what we’ve heard, Washington’s Jacob Eason profiles as a Day 2 pick for QB-needy teams like the Patriots. He could also be a fit for teams looking to groom their next signal caller. One AFC exec pondered the possibility of Eason going to the Buccaneers, where the pure passer serve as the heir to Tom Brady. The Bucs own the No. 45 overall pick in the second round and Eason could be there for them, provided that teams like the Colts (No. 34) don’t pounce first.

NFL Draft Notes: Swift, Jeudy, Diggs, OL

December 17th, 2019 at 6:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

D’Andre Swift would be in the running to be the first running back taken in the 2020 draft, and a report surfaced Tuesday indicating the junior Georgia back will leave school early. But Swift, taking to Twitter, denied that report and indicated he has yet to make a decision. Swift said he will not decide his draft status until after the Bulldogs’ Sugar Bowl game. The modern norm has been for running backs to declare early to conserve mileage for the NFL, so it remains a good bet Swift will try to become a first-round pick rather than return to Athens next season. Swift has rushed for a career-high 1,216 yards this season and has averaged north of six yards per carry in each of his three years. Recent Georgia ball-carriers Todd Gurley and Sony Michel were first-round picks; Todd McShay’s initial 2020 mock draft has Swift going 21st overall.

Here is the latest from the draft world:

  • Despite neither being seniors, Georgia is in line to lose both of its starting tackles. Shortly after left tackle Andrew Thomas declared for the draft, Bulldogs right tackle Isaiah Wilson revealed (via Twitter) he will leave school early as well. Wilson is just a sophomore but was Georgia’s starting right tackle for two seasons. Both Bulldogs will skip the Sugar Bowl. A five-star recruit in 2017, the 6-foot-7 Wilson stands to be an early- to mid-round draft pick.
  • Long projected to be a top-10 pick, Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy may be seeing his stock dip a bit. Due to his size (listed by Alabama as 6-1 and 192 pounds) and the depth of the receiver pool four months ahead of the draft, Albert Breer of SI.com notes Jeudy may no longer be a top-10 lock. Both Clemson’s Tee Higgins and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb are now threats to become the first receiver taken, per Breer. For what it’s worth, McShay mocks Jeudy at No. 3 overall. The junior Crimson Tide playmaker’s yards-per-catch figure dropped by five-plus yards this season, to 13.5.
  • Alabama defensive back Trevon Diggs is not participating in pre-Citrus Bowl practices and looks set to head to the NFL. The younger brother of Stefon Diggs slots as Scouts Inc.’s No. 39 overall prospect. He intercepted three passes, taking one back for a touchdown, as a junior this season.
  • Miami wide receiver Jeff Thomas will leave school early, the junior announced (via Instagram). The 5-10 wideout did not surpass 600 yards in any of his three Hurricanes seasons and is not rated as a top-150 prospect, per Scouts Inc.
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