Although the Dallas Cowboys won't count with Trevon Diggs for the first practices of training camp after being the only player on the team to land on the physically unable to perform list, teammates are naturally excited about the All-Pro's imminent return to the gridiron.
Fans should be too and hearing nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis talk about Diggs is bound to get fans fired up.
"I’m excited," Lewis told Patrik Walker from DallasCowboys.com . " He is going to be his playmaking self, and I know that (defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer) is going to put him in position to make plays but, you know, Tre is going to put himself in position to make plays."
Lewis found the perfect way to describe Diggs, who is often erroneously referred to as a boom-or-bust player. While that claim might've held some truth back when he intercepted 11 passes in 2021 en route to first-team All-Pro honors, it carries little weight in 2024. His picks have gone down but so have his mistakes in coverage as he has steadily improved on a down-to-down basis.
Lewis believes that starts with his understanding of the game:
“He is definitely a savant of this game," Lewis added. "He understands this game, and I really think he’s a genius at it, honestly. When he’s in true form, I feel like he’s one of the best defensive players in the game. It's amazing to see."
There's no doubt he's on to something: You don't become as good as Diggs has been in coverage since 2021 with a deep understanding of what offenses are trying to do and an ability to foresee route concepts before they occur. Having Diggs back on the cornerback room should significantly boost the defense's production.
One of the biggest gambles the Cowboys made this offseason was to let Stephon Gilmore walk in free agency. The main driver behind such a decision was Diggs' imminent return, which paired with DaRon Bland's rise as an outside cornerback likely has the front office feeling pretty confident about the secondary.
Additionally, Lewis himself has proven to be a tough player thanks to his skills to work the slot. He isn't afraid to get physical in the running game and while he's not a top slot corner in coverage he's been solid. There's a reason why he's stuck around since 2017 while surviving four defensive coordinators. Just ask Amon-Ra St. Brown, who thought of him when asked who was the toughest DB to face in the league.
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