The Cowboys Defense just lost All-Pro Trevon Diggs for the year with what team suspects to be an ACL injury. The injury happened at practice. Diggs is the third guy on this team to be lost for the season with said injury. Rookies DeMarvion Overshown and John Stephens were injured in the last week of preseason. This is a huge blow for the Cowboys and the number one Defense in the NFL. Where do the Cowboys go from here?
First off, I wish Diggs the best as he goes through surgery and begins rehab in the next few months. There is no doubt in my mind that he will return even better next season. He is hungry and is extremely tough. I remember his rookie season when he played a few snaps on a broken leg because he didn’t want to let the team know how much pain he was in. He is built differently. He is one of the Alphas on this team. His aggressiveness and ball skills will be missed.
The Cowboys ran into depth issues last season when starters Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown were injured and lost for the season. As of right now, there are two things that make this injury easier to swallow. One, the Cowboys went out and got Former Defensive Player of the Year and All-Pro Stephen Gilmore in the off season. They didn’t set pat at the position, but made a move to strengthen and add to the Corner group. Having a veteran who has went through training camp and has already shown his worth is noteworthy. His experience alone is invaluable.
The most underrated Defensive back on our team has to be Doran Bland. The second year man from Fresno State has continues to step up and excel. When Jourdan went down, he was thrusted into that slot position and became a contributor. He finished last season with 7 passes deflections and 5 interceptions in the 8 games he started. Bland is a rangy Corner with quikness and tenacity in his own right. He has been the starter in the slot so far but now he will be tasked with moving outside against potential number one Wide Receivers. The aforementioned Jourdan Lewis will now return to being the starter in the slot after his return from injury.
The other thing that will help alleviate the loss of Diggs is the Cowboys pass rush. Teams are having to get the ball out so much faster. This means less time in coverage for the defensive backs and potentially more errant throws and opportunities for turnovers. Dan Quinn worked his magic last year to overcome injuries and the lack of talent. With proven talent, this Defense should remain a top tier unit.
The Cowboys have dealt with some injuries in this early part of the season. Donovan Wilson, Tyler Smith, Brandin Cooks and now Trevon for the year. Even players like Zach Martin and Tyler Biadasz are battling to stay healthy. Injuries are apart of the game and the good teams plan, adapt and overcome. Time to see if this team is good enough to win in spite of all their recent misfortune.
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