Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs expected to start camp on PUP list

Recovering from an ACL injury is never an easy thing, but there are several Cowboys looking to do just that. Linebackers DeMarvion Overshown and pass catcher John Stephens, Jr. saw promising rookie campaigns cut short before given a chance with training camp tears, but the biggest ACL injury didn’t occur until September when All-Pro corner Trevon Diggs hurt himself in practice ahead of Week 3.

Diggs seems to be on track to return early in the season, but on Monday the team let it be known that the approach will be cautious. When players report to training camp on Wednesday, Diggs will be on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, according to the Dallas News .

Diggs is expected to be placed on the physically unable to perform list later this week once the Cowboys report to Southern California, a person with knowledge of the player’s status said. That designation comes as no surprise since the cornerback is just nine months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Club officials are operating under the belief that Diggs will be ready to play when the team opens the regular season against Cleveland on Sept. 8.

If the Cowboys can get Diggs back in time to start the season, the next challenge is being back to form. Oftentimes ACL injuries allow a player to come back the next season, but the first year back is often not up to the player’s normal level of performance.

If he’s somehow able to match what he was before, Dallas likely has the best cornerback tandem in the league as he’ll play opposite 2023 All-Pro DaRon Bland. Bland set the NFL record for interception returns for touchdowns with five last season, totaling nine in all. He leads the NFL in total interceptions over the last two seasons with 14 total.

Diggs became the first NFL player in 30 years to tally 11 interceptions in a season in 2021.