The Dallas Cowboys admitted to a costly mistake on Tuesday, releasing cornerback Trevon Diggs a little over two years after signing him to $97 million extension.
Per multiple reports, Diggs will be placed on waivers. Unless claimed, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with a team ahead of the playoffs.
But based on his production this season, no Super Bowl contender would get better by adding him. Per NFL Pro data, in 246 coverage snaps over eight games (six starts), Diggs has allowed 17 receptions for 286 yards and four touchdowns on 20 targets. He’s one of two qualifying defensive backs to allow a perfect passer rating (158.3) as the nearest defender, joined by San Francisco 49ers rookie safety Marques Sigle, who has played one defense snap since Week 12 after playing 100 percent of the unit’s snaps from Weeks 1-5. (h/t Pro Football Reference)
Trevon Diggs release a merciful end to disastrous 2025
By bidding farewell to Diggs, the Cowboys’ need at corner this offseason is even more pronounced. But the six-year pro was clearly not part of the solution, so releasing him — even if the timing is odd — is sound strategy. Per Spotrac, Diggs had a $14.5M base salary in 2026 and was set to count $18.4M against the cap. Dallas is only on the hook for $5.88M in prorated signing bonus, meaning it will save roughly $12.6M in 2026 by cutting him.
The Cowboys bet big on Diggs after his massive All-Pro 2021 campaign when he led the league with 11 interceptions, tied for the fourth-most in a single season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). But he hasn’t come close to matching those numbers in the years since. Dallas caught a tough break when Diggs tore his ACL two games into the 2023 season, less than two months after handing him the lucrative five-year extension. Last season, he missed six games — two with a torn calf muscle and another four after undergoing season-ending knee surgery.
The injury bug followed him into 2025, when he was placed on injured reserve in October with a concussion after a freak accident that resulted in a TV falling on his head.
That money would have been better spent elsewhere — perhaps on retaining edge-rusher Micah Parsons — but the Cowboys can’t dwell on the past. They must turn to the future, and with no sure thing at corner, improving the secondary should be the top priority this offseason.
Earlier this season, they also released corner Kaiir Elam to give rookie third-rounder Shavon Revel more playing time, but he’s struggled, allowing 23 receptions, 327 yards and two touchdowns on 31 targets. (h/t NFL Pro)
DaRon Bland, who like Diggs inked a sizable extension thanks to his interception numbers, has also been a liability this season, allowing six touchdowns while notching one interception. His 7.7 percent hawk rate, defined as percentage of targets that result in an interception or pass defended, is the third-lowest among 53 corners targeted at least 60 times.
The Cowboys have a big hole in their secondary, which shouldn’t be possible considering the resources spent on the defensive backfield. According to Spotrac, Dallas is the only team in the league with over $20M allocated to cornerbacks and safeties this season.
It will have to invest heavily once again in the unit this offseason. Dallas must be wiser, however, about who it pays.
