The Dallas Cowboys' front office seemingly can't be bothered to make a trade before Tuesday's deadline. Rather than tackle the problem head on, they are banking on getting key players back from injury to turn the season around.
At the rate Cowboys players have dropped like flies this year, though, the season may not be salvageable by the time Dallas is back at full strength. The latest updates for Sunday's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons confirm the front office is playing with fire.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mike McCarthy said Micah Parsons, while improving every week, is still not ready to practice. This does not bode well for Parsons returning from his high-ankle sprain.
Not only do Cowboys fans have to worry about Parsons missing a fourth straight game, but the first injury report for Week 9 raised a new concern.
Star cornerback Trevon Diggs will not practice due to an undisclosed injury.
Trevon Diggs pops up on Cowboys' Week 9 injury report
The Cowboys have not released any details on Diggs' injury or the potential severity, so it's impossible to say whether he'll play on Sunday.
It's possible that Diggs' absence is related to the ankle injury that has bothered him for weeks. He briefly left Week 4 due to a leg injury but returned after receiving treatment. He was limited in practice the following week with an ankle but he played against the Steelers without any limitations.
Still, the undisclosed nature of the injury is cause for concern.
Of course, Diggs made waves after the Cowboys' loss to the 49ers in Week 8 when he confronted reported Mike Leslie of WFAA after Leslie questioned his hustle on a long reception by tight end George Kitle. Diggs was in good spirits on Wednesday and apologized to Leslie.
We'll know more about Diggs' status soon enough, but why not end on a positive note?
The Cowboys activated DaRon Bland off injured reserve. This does not confirm that Bland will play Sunday. He was with the rehab group Wednesday, but McCarthy is hopeful that Bland will practice Thursday. If all goes according to plan, Bland should (emphasis on should) make his season debut in Week 9.
Rookie cornerback Caelen Carson also practiced in full, so he is seemingly on track to return after missing four games with a shoulder injury. That status of Bland and Carson loom large with Diggs missing practice.