With DaRon Bland going on injured reserve, the Cowboys are bringing Trevon Diggs back on the active roster.
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs will be on the field for the first time in more than two months.
The Cowboys activated Diggs off injured reserve on Saturday, giving the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback the opportunity to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. To make room for Diggs on the roster, the Cowboys placed cornerback DaRon Bland, who is facing surgery on his left foot, on injured reserve.
Diggs has not played since Oct. 12, a 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He suffered a concussion following an at-home accident and was subsequently placed on injured reserve on Oct. 25 to help him strengthen a right knee problem. Had the Cowboys not activated Diggs on Saturday, he would have reverted back to injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Diggs said last week he expected to play against the Minnesota Vikings, but after a conversation with coach Brian Schottenheimer the decision was made to keep him out. Schottenheimer said the Cowboys wanted to see consistency in “everything” from Diggs, beyond his rehab and practice work.
Cowboys eliminated from NFL playoffs in Week 16 and you can blame the Eagles
How the Eagles stole Christmas.
The Dallas Cowboys have been eliminated from playoff contention.
You may have felt that this was the case for some time already in a matter of fact sense, but it became official on Saturday night when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Commanders. Thanks to losses over the last two weeks to the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings the Cowboys left themselves with only one path into the postseason and that was as the hypothetical winner of the NFC East. That will not come to pass as the Eagles have now won it.
Much is always made about how the NFC East has not featured a back-to-back champion since 2003 and 2004 when the Eagles did it themselves. They have put that all to an end by doing it once more and on the subject of streaks the Cowboys now have one going themselves as far as playoff absences are concerned.
Dallas missed the playoffs last year, they were eliminated around the same time as it happened on December 22nd, which means they have missed the postseason for two years in a row for the first time since 2019 and 2020. Then, like now, the Cowboys were in the final year of one head coach (Jason Garrett) and the first of another (Mike McCarthy). It is almost like that is not necessarily a recipe for success.
There is a lot of introspection that is necessary from the Cowboys these days and their current playoff drought is representative of that. We talk often about how this team hasn’t been the same since they were bounced from the 2023 Wild Card Round and obviously the evidence here speaks for that as well.
Jerry Jones may have revealed George Pickens’ Cowboys fate by accident on Hard Knocks – Sayre Bedinger, The Landry Hat
Jerry Jones might have tipped his hand regarding his plans for George Pickens.
In case you were worried about buying that George Pickens jersey for Christmas, you can probably rest easy knowing he’s going to be back with
The in-season version of HBO’s Hard Knocks has given plenty of fantastic insight and behind-the-scenes looks already at things happening all over the NFC East, but the latest episode of the show might have included Jerry Jones accidentally giving away George Pickens’ future fate with the team. And if you’re hopeful of Pickens returning, it seems like that may be a foregone conclusion.
Jerry Jones speaking of George Pickens’ Cowboys future like it’s a foregone conclusion
Here’s what Jones had to say in a meeting with the coaching staff about Pickens:
“My picture of him is, for the future, is we’ve got Superman in terms of his love for competing and playing football. That’s what you’re getting.”
– Jerry Jones (via Hard Knocks on HBO)Pickens has come under quite a bit of fire recently due to his lack of effort against the Detroit Lions, specifically, and he even had to answer for that in the clip on HBO. Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico were having a production meeting with Pickens, and they asked him about the way he played against Detroit.
And to Pickens’ credit, he owned up to it, saying he obviously didn’t play his best game.
The unfortunate thing is, Pickens had another tough game against Minnesota right after that meeting. He has caught just eight of his last 15 targets overall, and has 70 receiving yards over the past two games. It’s no coincidence that the Cowboys have faltered in those games, which were really must-win games after the way this season started.
KaVontae Turpin’s Contract is not Paying Off – Cody Warren, Inside the Star
Cowboys aren’t getting enough bang for their buck.
I like KaVontae Turpin. You have to respect the speed, effort, and occasional spark he brings when the ball is in his hands. At some point, production has to justify cost. When I step back and look at the full picture; return production, field position, offensive usage, and cap impact, I can’t make the case that Turpin’s contract is paying off for the Cowboys.I want everyone to know this isn’t about highlights or reputation, it’s about results.
The Return Numbers Don’t Justify the Investment
We all know Turpin’s value is supposed to show up on special teams, so that’s where this has to start. On kick returns, the league average is 26.41 yards per return. Turpin is averaging 26.2, which is essentially league average. It’s not hurting the Cowboys, but it’s not helping them either.
Punt returns are where the issue becomes more obvious. The league average is 7.1 yards per punt return, and Turpin is at 5.5. That gap may not sound massive, but over the course of a season it translates into lost field position that does not show up in the box score, but is felt on the field. Return specialists are paid to create advantages and we are not seeing that consistently.
Field Position Tells the Same Story
If I could tell you, the return numbers were the only red flag, it would be easier to dismiss. The Cowboys are averaging starting field position at the 29.3-yard line, which ranks 29th in the NFL. That’s bottom-four territory. Teams with strong special teams units continually start drives three to four yards closer to midfield than Dallas. If we look at the entirety of a game, that could be 30–40 hidden yards. Over a season, it is the difference between manageable situations and playing behind the chains. If you’re paying for a return specialist, this shouldn’t be happening.
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