Cowboys make most obvious Trevon Diggs move possible to start training camp

There's been serious disconnect this offseason between the Dallas Cowboys and their fan base. The delayed extensions for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are the most obvious examples, but fans have found it difficult to understand why the front office hasn't pushed to re-sign Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore's age and potential contract demands could play a factor, but the looming return of star cornerback Trevon Diggs might be the Cowboys' biggest motivator.

The Cowboys had a brilliant vision for the cornerback position in 2023, but it was short-lived after Diggs suffered a torn ACL in practice after Dallas started the season 2-0. With the 2024 season-opener a little more than a month away, fans have been itching for an update on Diggs' recovery.

As training camp gets underway in Oxnard, Diggs was placed on the PUP (physically unable to perform list). This was always the expectation as Diggs is still just nine months removed from knee surgery.

Cowboys place Trevon Diggs on PUP list to start training camp

This is hardly bad news regarding Diggs.

David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports that Diggs is expected to be ready for the season-opener against the Browns on Sept. 8. How much practice time Diggs gets before then remains to be seen, but this is essentially standard protocol for players who are coming off major injuries.

While we await a definitive timeline for Diggs' return, the two-time Pro Bowler has been documenting his rehab on social media. Diggs can be seen going through rigorous workouts in which his explosion and lateral movements are on full display. A cornerback drill showed Diggs running and changing direction at a fast speed, which speaks to his comfort and confidence in the surgically-repaired knee.

It could be a matter of days or weeks until Diggs is back practicing in full capacity, but he hasn't suffered any setbacks and seems to be right on schedule with his recovery.

That's a huge relief for the Cowboys. By choosing not to re-sign Gilmore, Diggs will have to log a significant snap share in his first season post-surgery. It might take Diggs a month or so to get back up to speed and trust his knee in a game setting, but even at less than 100 percent he's one of the top CBs in the game.

The Cowboys sorely missed his presence in the playoff loss to the Packers. He may not be on the field to start training camp, but he'll feel like a new signing in 2024 after his freak injury cost him all but two games last year.

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