Trevon Diggs has finally cleared a hurdle that felt taller than most goalposts. For a player who’s spent the last two years stuck in the waiting room of football—two major knee surgeries, one cruel ACL tear in 2023—this is more than a transaction. It’s the first real sign of a door cracking open after months of uncertainty.

Diggs himself didn’t sugarcoat it either. When asked if he’ll be ready for Philly in Week 1, his answer was a hesitant “Maybe, maybe not.” Honest and raw. Still, the calendar isn’t forgiving. A knee that’s been cut open twice in two years doesn’t simply bounce back like a rubber band. Passing a physical doesn’t guarantee he’s strapping up in Week 1, but it did make the possibility real. And now the wait might finally be over.

The star cornerback has passed his physical and is officially off the PUP list, moving back onto the Cowboys’ active roster. For Dallas, the hope is simple: that the ball-hawk from 2021—the one who pulled down 11 interceptions and looked like a magnet in human form—can re-emerge. Brian Schottenheimer sees the fight in him. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about how hard Trevon’s been working,” the Cowboys coach said. “He’s doing an incredible job with Britt [Brown]. These things don’t happen if he’s not putting in the time and the effort to do the stuff that he’s been doing. Really proud of him.”

That’s not lip service—coming from a coach, it’s as close to a stamp of approval as you get. The Cowboys expect Diggs to make the 53-man roster, and Schottenheimer even hinted he could hit the practice field as soon as this week. While Diggs had been rehabbing, the Cowboys have been busy shuffling pieces in the secondary. Kaiir Elam has made the most noise, pushing himself into the conversation for a starting spot opposite DaRon Bland. It’s been a revolving door, but one that’s at least shown Dallas it has depth to lean on.

Now, the thought of plugging a proven ball thief like Diggs back into that mix only raises the ceiling. With 20 career interceptions, his return doesn’t just stabilize the defense; it gives it more. Even Diggs himself believed the group could manage until he’s fully ready. “I think they’ll be good. I think they can hold their own,” he said. Schottenheimer had already said that he “feels good” about the chances Diggs is ready when Philadelphia comes calling in Week 1. And now, while Dallas is all ready for the stage, another twist has taken place in the Micah Parsons contract saga, grabbing the headlines.

Brian Schottenheimer left to decode Micah Parsons’ sideline statement

Micah Parsons wasn’t in uniform and wasn’t even blending in with the sideline during the final preseason contest on Friday. Instead, he was stretched out on the medical table behind the bench in the third quarter, the lone Cowboy not wearing a jersey, as noted by ESPN’s Todd Archer. For a player whose star power usually doesn’t require words, the picture told its own story. It was loud. Was it just back tightness? Or was it a silent message about his contract? Either way, Brian Schottenheimer made it clear: “Without talking to Micah, I need to figure out what he was doing and why he was doing it.”

That uncertainty is nothing new in Dallas. Jerry Jones insists his offer would’ve made Parsons the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback, but the stalemate has dragged on since spring. Add in the icy distance between Jones and agent David Mulugheta, and you get the kind of contract drama that Cowboys fans have seen play out before. Parsons’ trade request might’ve turned heads across the league, but no one’s really buying the idea that Dallas will ship him out. Not with his prime years still ahead, not with the franchise tag safety net sitting in Jones’ back pocket.

For now, the Cowboys’ defense sits in limbo. Parsons hasn’t taken a single training camp snap, citing both his holdout and a bout with back tightness. The MRI came back clean, but the timing of injuries during contract disputes often sparks its own speculation. Schottenheimer may have confidence the linebacker will be ready when September kicks off, but the bigger question lingers like storm clouds over AT&T Stadium: will Parsons’ next snap come under his current deal, or with a last-minute extension that finally matches his worth?