Even with a Week 1 goal, Dallas must approach cornerback like Trevon Diggs isn’t going to be ready — and manage his contract accordingly.Dallas Cowboys star cornerback Trevon Diggs took the “America’s Team” world by storm this week when he told Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News that his goal is to return by Week 1 — a surprising revelation considering that CowboysCountry.com has been told often that was is expected is an early-to-midseason return at best.
While the optimism is admirable, especially after owner Jerry Jones implied during pre-draft comments that Diggs didn’t fully attack his previous ACL rehab, this is still a steep climb.
The truth? Being cleared by doctors doesn’t mean being fully ready — physically or psychologically.
This is where Dallas must remain clear-eyed. There’s no guarantee Diggs is ready for Week 1 in a meaningful sense. There’s still the mental hurdle — the confidence, the timing, the trust in the knee. And for the Cowboys, that means one thing: their decision-making should not change.
They must still operate as if Diggs won’t be there to open the season.
From a financial standpoint, Diggs has major incentive to push for a full 17-game campaign. If he plays every game, he earns an extra $1 million. More importantly, his 2026 status hangs in the balance — the Cowboys could cut him and be responsible for a minimal $2.9 million of dead cap if they cut him post-June 1– they’d save $15 million in cap space.
Only $33 million of Diggs’ $97 million extension is fully guaranteed, and most of that is already paid out.
So yes, he’s fighting for more than pride — he’s fighting for the rest of his contract. And let’s be clear, this is something Cowboys fans should be rooting for. He’s a really good player on a very affordable contract in a positional market that’s now paying guys $30 million per year.
But optimism should not shape Dallas’ logic. The Cowboys’ cornerback situation remains volatile and they should be operating as if Trevon won’t be ready by week one and they should be operating as if Trevon won’t be the true Trevon until well beyond that.
After today’s discussion about void years and the myth of “cap hell,” they have the financial flexibility to both be aggressive now (Jaire Alexander, Jalen Ramsey, or Asante Samuel) and take care of their long-term core — Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, Tyler Smith, George Pickens.
Diggs’ determination should be celebrated. But the front office can’t afford to bank on it.
