The Dallas Cowboys lost one of their defensive leaders during practice on Thursday as defensive back Trevon Diggs suffered a severe knee injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Diggs was injured during a one-on-one drill in the red zone between the defensive backs and wide receivers, and an MRI later confirmed he had torn his left ACL.
“You hate to see it with any of your players,” head coach Mike McCarthy told Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan on Friday morning. “It’s just awful, just the outpour of concern for him. He was playing off the charts, and that’s the way he practices, too. Obviously, a big blow, but your heart goes out to Trevon and just making sure he feels the love and support, and we’ve got to keep moving forward.”
Diggs has been impressive since entering the NFL in 2020, tying for the league lead in interceptions over the last three years. His best year was in 2021, when he intercepted 11 passes and scored twice. Diggs had an interception in Sunday’s win over the New York Jets, and McCarthy said he had seen even more improvement from Diggs in the offseason.
“This is the best I’ve ever seen him,” McCarthy added. “He had a great offseason. The confidence he was playing with [and] his ball skills are just off the charts. I’ve never seen anybody like him. … He’s always all over the ball. You could see him starting to grow, and things were starting to line up for him to be one of our leaders.”
The fourth-year corner, who signed a contract extension in the offseason, has become a vital part of a defense that continues to lead the NFL in takeaways. His absence will test just how good this defense is, but the team knows he will work his way back and is a critical player for the future.
“This is a challenge that he’ll attract because that’s just the way he’s wired, but most importantly, I just want to make sure he feels the support because we obviously are going to miss him as a player.,” McCarthy said. “He’s a big part of our team and our culture and everything we’ve got going here.”
With Diggs out of the lineup, others will need to step up, and all eyes will be on second-year DaRon Bland and veteran Jourdan Lewis to carry the torch.
“We’re very fortunate, and it’s a reflection of where we are as a defense,” McCarthy explained. “Our depth is very strong. This is a great opportunity for both men, and I clearly anticipate that they’ll step up, and we’ll keep moving forward on defense.”
The Cowboys (2-0) continue their season, sans Diggs, on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (0-2) at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday.
***
EXTRA POINTS
— The Carolina Panthers expect rookie quarterback Bryce Young to miss Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks because of an ankle injury. Former Dallas Cowboys backup and TCU standout Andy Dalton will start in his place.
— The New England Patriots placed defensive back Marcus Jones on injured reserve.
— Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison commented on Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb’s recent knee injury.
— Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has the league’s highest passer rating since the beginning of last season, just ahead of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes.
