The Micah Parsons trade hasn’t exactly gone the way the Dallas Cowboys hoped, and now it looks like more trade noise is surrounding another big name on defense. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, who has been pretty quiet this season with just 18 tackles (13 solo, 5 assisted) in his 6 appearances, is under the spotlight. Between lingering injuries and not quite fitting into the current defensive scheme, the light shines bright on him. But the real question is…is moving on from Diggs really as simple as it looks on paper?

It’s kind of interesting how Trevon Diggs’ future in Dallas has been uncertain ever since he signed a massive 5-year $97 million deal in July 2023. Waiving off Diggs might actually help the Cowboys in clearing $15.5 million in cap space, as Clarence Hill Jr., Cowboys insider, writes. But there’s a catch. As per Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins, even if a trade is on the table, it is difficult to make things work for Diggs, considering that him being on the injury reserve and does not have a certified agent. Therefore, it does make things complex for Dallas to build a strong defense after so many setbacks.

After Parsons’ departure, the Cowboys’ defense has struggled majorly. They are currently at the 30th spot in scoring defense, giving up 29.4 points per game. Even worse, they’re dead last in both pass yards allowed (260.3) and total defense (401.3). Above all this, Jerry Jones has not yet decided for the star wide receiver George Pickens to extend his contract to improve his defensive play before the trade deadline on November 4. All these aspects show how keen the front desk and the stakeholders are to make the defensive shield relevant.

Diggs’ injury-prone career has been a major concern for the Cowboys. Since he signed his extension in 2023, he has been featured in just 19 of 38 games. He tore his left ACL in the same year, which led him to miss 15 games that season. Now his struggles continue as he has been sidelined from the NFL for 2nd time this season.

Trevon Diggs to miss at least 4 games

Trevon Diggs’ rough stretch continues after suffering a concussion from an accident at home, which resulted in him missing last week’s game. Now, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has officially placed him on the injury reserve, sidelining him for at least four games. This week’s absence against the Denver Broncos will mark his second consecutive absence, which is a big hit for an already injury-depleted defense.

With Diggs unavailable, the secondary’s hurt in the roster has taken a major hit. Safeties Juanyeh Thomas (migraine) and Donovan Wilson (shoulder) have already been ruled out, while Malik Hooker is still on IR due to a toe injury. Now, in Diggs’ absence, Dallas will roll with DaRon Bland and Kaiir Elam as the primary corners. Reddy Steward, C.J. Goodwin, and rookie Caelen Carson will likely see more snaps. After all these setbacks, it will be a tough battle against the Broncos’ offense, who are coming in hot with a 5-2 record.

Denver has improved offensively under its rookie quarterback, Bo Nix. After returning last week with a bang, Nix has completed 1,556 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. His offense has also seemed promising with an average of 23.3 points per game. It also covered 354.1 total yards per game, marking its improvement in both categories. With major defensive weapons missing, trading away Diggs doesn’t seem to be a wise option yet.

The real question floating around Cowboys Nation right now is what Dallas could actually gain in the Trevon Diggs trade. What’s the smart play here after the team moves from him to clear the cap space? If the Cowboys walk away from him, they might get nothing in return. No picks, no players…just a hole in the secondary and a whole lot of “what ifs”.