The writing had been on the wall for Trevon Diggs for quite some time. The Dallas Cowboys put up with a lot of his antics over the years because he was a very good NFL cornerback, but between a dip in production and lack of availability, the team finally cut the cord.
On Tuesday, it was stunningly reported by ESPN's Todd Archer that Diggs was being waived. He will now go through the waiver process, and if he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent and eligible to sign with another team immediately.
While it will be a bit weird to see Diggs in another uniform, as he's only played for the Cowboys since being drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he was going to be a casualty of Dallas' salary cap situation this offseason anyway. Diggs' release is also good news for George Pickens.
Cowboys waiving Trevon Diggs makes room for George Pickens extension
Pickens will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason if Jerry Jones doesn't lock him into a long-term extension, and that simply cannot happen. Unfortunately, the Cowboys were set to be over $36 million in the hole in terms of salary cap space, so they had to trim some of the fat on the roster.
By releasing Diggs, Dallas will take on a $5.88 million dead cap hit during the 2026 NFL season. However, according to Spotrac, the Cowboys will save $12.56 million of salary cap space next year by not having Diggs on the roster.
That still puts the team at nearly $25 million over the allowed salary cap allocation, but it is headway nonetheless. Every dollar the Cowboys save by restructuring deals and releasing players should be another dollar in Pickens' pocket to keep him in Dallas.
RELATED: Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer fires off strong response to Trevon Diggs plane debacle
Pickens' market value is astronomically high, with some predicting that he'll make up to $30.7 million per year on average. While there is a way to backload the contract so it is more team-friendly for the Cowboys, it means the team has to clear roughly $40 million more in space to even approach a deal.
Daron Bland is another obvious release candidate, and restructuring a handful of deals could put the organization in a good position. But waiving Diggs was the first piece of the puzzle in figuring out how to extend Pickens, and the Cowboys are seemingly making the plunge.
This was an abrupt and upsetting way for Diggs to end his tenure in Dallas, as fans thought he'd become a legendary figure in the franchise's illustrious history. But at least his departure can help the Cowboys plant some promising seeds for the future.