As you probably know by now, Cowboys star corner Trevon Diggs tore his ACL Thursday afternoon in practice.
It was a brutal blow to a Cowboys defense that had only given up 10 points through two games.
Fresh off a 5yr/$97 million contract extension, it sucks. Diggs was playing as well as anyone at his position after two weeks.
Now, the Cowboys are in a spot they are prepared to handle. They have the most depth in all of football in the secondary.
Trading for Stephon Gilmore in March looks even better now.
DaRon Bland had five interceptions in 2022; he looks to be the one who will get the first chance to swing outside opposite Gilmore.
So I'm told the plan in light of the Trevon Diggs injury (season ending ACL tear) is to move DaRon Bland outside, Jourdan Lewis goes inside and you got Noah Igbinoghene for depth per a team source. #cowboys
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) September 21, 2023
Jourdan Lewis is returning and can step into his slop cornerback role, the spot he had before suffering a Lisfranc injury last season.
Let's be honest with ourselves, though, the defense will take a hit, but they are still championship-level.
I still consider them the first or second-best in the league.
This potentially opens the door for a player I like. Israel Mukuamu.
He is still recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered back in July.
He has good ball skills and can track the ball in the air well, allowing him to make plays on deep passes.
Mukuamu's versatility is a strength, as he has experience playing cornerback and safety positions.
The only thing he lacks is both experience and speed; even with his really good size, he does not have top-end speed for a defensive back.
It could force him into a zone-type guy to stay on the field.
Of course, losing an All-Pro like Diggs stings, but the way this team is rolling right now, they will rally around him and ensure they stay on top of their game.
The Cowboys are just the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to score at least 70 points and allow 10 or fewer in the first two games.
They head to Arizona this weekend to face the Cardinals, who have had a second-half lead in both losses this year.
This should be a good game to help Dan Quinn start to find a rotation without Diggs in the lineup that he can trust for now.
You should be very bummed that you don't get to see a great player like Trevon Diggs for the rest of the season, and sad that the Dallas defense won't reach the same height it could have.
but between the talent on hand & Dan Quinn's ability as a DC, it's not a season sinker. https://t.co/MC4C0euFDY
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) September 21, 2023
The Dallas defense will clearly start to face better offensive teams as the year goes on, but for now, others can gain some confidence against this Cardinals team and be better for that week five matchup with the Niners.
I hate non-contact injuries, I still don't understand why the Cowboys are doing one-on-one drills in the middle of a game week.
Yet, another injury on turf, players around the league have said numerous times that they hate playing/practicing on turf. I wish they would just get rid of it and do everything on natural grass.
At the end of the day, there is nothing anyone can do about it now.
The team will rally around the others and make sure they continue to play at a high level.
Diggs is going to be missed, but they have a lot of talent on that defense led by the best defensive coordinator in football.
