Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin was everywhere before leaving the game against the New York Giants with a neck injury.

Four catches, 47 yards, a touchdown. Two rushes for six more. Four kick returns for 100 yards, and a punt return for two yards. He is now 6-for-6 on targets this season, 65 yards, 10.8 per catch, plus 15 rushing yards. He was the tempo setter until 5:33 left in the third quarter, when he went down after a 29-yard return. Jalen Tolbert nearly lost the next kick return, and for a moment, it felt like Dallas’ spark was gone.

Monday, September 15, brought the boost Dallas needed. Brian Schottenheimer said Turpin’s tests came back clean, and he has “a chance to play” against Chicago. That is big. Turpin is not just a returner; he has become a legit offensive piece, coming off a 2024 All-Pro season with 420 yards and two scores. His presence changes how defenses align pre-snap.

Then came the update on cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Schottenheimer said restrictions are “probably off” after Diggs logged 59 snaps against the Giants. Diggs began the season on the 53-man roster as he recovered from a second straight season-ending knee surgery in 2024. That is why he played just 26 snaps against the Eagles, with the idea being not to rush him and to prevent yet another mishap.

Through two games, Diggs has five tackles and one pass defended. No picks yet, but his coverage has forced QBs to look elsewhere. That matters with DaRon Bland out. Diggs is a two-time Pro Bowler with 20 career INTs, and Dallas’ blitz calls look different with him at full speed.

This is the double boost Dallas needed. Against the Bears, expect Turpin to get scripted touches early and Diggs to shadow D.J. Moore. If both are active and near full strength, Dallas can stack wins and start turning this into a run, not just a recovery.

New Cowboys DE reveals Brian Schottenheimer’s plan

The Cowboys signed Jadeveon Clowney on a reported $6 million one-year deal to bolster their defense. Just one sack against Philly, three against the Giants, and a 450-yard day from Russell Wilson was enough for Jerry Jones to hit the emergency button. Hours after an overtime win that kept Dallas from a 0-2 hole, Jones went public with the news. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick is a Cowboy.

Clowney wasted no time letting everyone know what to expect. “I’ve been on seven teams, and this place is a lot different than any place I’ve been,” he said. “They spoiled, Jerry spoils this team. I want to put it all out there, just play good and stay around.” He plans to make his presence felt right away. Clowney told reporters he expects to play Sunday against the Bears, meaning the Cowboys are not waiting to ease him in. And that’s Brian Schottenheimer’s plan.

This is Clowney’s fourth team in four years, coming off a 2024 season in Carolina where he posted 5.5 sacks and 46 tackles in just 14 games. The Panthers cut him for cap space, but the production was still there. And Dallas desperately needs that. The Giants put up 37 points and tormented the Cowboys’ secondary, forcing Brian Schottenheimer to get aggressive. Adding a versatile rusher who can play the run and push the pocket was not optional; it was survival.

And of course, leave it to Jerry to make it memorable. His infamous “glory hole” line from 2012 resurfaced after Clowney’s agent joked that signing in Dallas meant finally asking Jones about the phrase. Jerry brushed it off and doubled down, saying, “It’s the kind of thing that we will continue to do.” In other words, expect more mid-season roster swings if this one works.

Clowney joins a team sitting at 1-1 and staring at a tricky Bears offense under play-caller Ben Johnson. If the DE brings the energy he’s talking about, this could be the spark that takes a leaky defense and turns it into a problem again.