PFF completely forgets Trevon Diggs exists in grotesque 2024 CB rankings

With Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland leading the way, the Dallas Cowboys have arguably the best cornerback room in the NFL. Unfortunately, Diggs missed all but two games last season after he suffered a torn ACL in a September practice so Cowboys fans couldn't see the dynamic duo wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

The presence of Stephon Gilmore and a historic year from Bland, who set an NFL record with five pick-sixes, helped mitigate the loss.

However, Diggs' absence was felt in all of the Cowboys' six losses. It reared its head in the worst way in the playoff loss to the Packers in which the defense allowed 40 points, 415 total yards and a 60% conversion rate on third down.

Diggs' return will be huge for the defense, which will be helmed by old friend Mike Zimmer. The two-time Pro Bowler will look to remind everyone that he's one of the best cornerbacks in the game. It would appear, though, that Diggs has more doubters than ever before.

Cowboys' Trevon Diggs blatantly disrespected by PFF's cornerback rankings

Diggs checked in at No. 19 (!) in Pro Football Focus' 2024 cornerback rankings. Article writer John Kasko's analysis of Diggs is arguably just as puzzling as the ranking itself.

"This will be a big year for Diggs as he returns from an injury-shortened 2023. After hauling in an incredible 11interceptions in 2021, Diggs hauled in just three in 2022."

So now it's being held against Diggs that he only notched three picks in 2022? We're old enough to remember Diggs getting slandered by national analysts for being a "boom-or-bust" corner. After his historic 2021 season that saw him earn First-Team All-Pro honors, folks wanted to see Diggs morph into a more all-around corner; not a feast or famine ball-hawk.

While turnovers are the name of the game, Cowboys fans would have happily traded fewer interceptions if it meant Diggs' becoming a better version of himself in coverage. That manifested itself in 2022 and he was off to a torrid start last year before his injury, and suddenly there are 18 better cornerbacks in the league? Not a chance.

Some of the players ranked ahead of Diggs include Lions rookie Brian Branch, Jets slot corner Michael Carter, a 31-year-old Darious Williams and Ravens starter Marlon Humphrey, who played just 10 games in 2023 and posted a middling 62.7 coverage grade when healthy. The list goes on.

It'd be understandable if Diggs dropped a few spots following his injury. That's to be expected. For context, he was No. 8 on last year's ranking before the 2023 season. A Pro Bowler as recently as 2022, Diggs did not deserve to fall 11 spots.

If there's a silver lining here, it's that PFF has given an already-hungry Diggs even more motivation for the 2024 season.

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