Cowboys release Trevon Diggs: Dallas CB heads to waivers

The Dallas Cowboys announced the release of cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday. The veteran defensive back is on waivers. If he goes through waivers, he will be free to sign with any team.

Any club that claims Diggs becomes responsible for the $472,000 he is owed in base salary for Week 18, and $58,823 if he is active this week, according to ESPN. Diggs signed a five-year, $97 million extension with Dallas before the 2023 season, during which he tore his ACL. Although he is technically signed through 2028, there is no guaranteed money left on his contract after this year.

Diggs’ release was “a cumulation of several factors both on and off the field,” CBS Sports senior NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported. Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports reported that Diggs requested to stay in the Washington, D.C. area following the Cowboys’ Week 17 game against the Washington Commanders. The team denied the request, but Diggs, who is from the area, still stayed out.

“It’s extremely unusual for teams to allow someone to not go back when there are no difficulties,” Jones noted.

Diggs played the first six games of the season before an accident at home sent him into the concussion protocol. Dallas placed him on injured reserve after he re-aggravated a knee injury, but he returned to the lineup in Week 16. In eight games played this season, Diggs recorded 25 tackles with no passes defended and no interceptions.

It seemed like Diggs and the Cowboys were headed for divorce earlier this month when the two sides disagreed on whether or not the cornerback should be activated off injured reserve. Diggs said he was healthy enough to play against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15, but was not cleared to do so.

“At the beginning of the week, it was the plan for me to play. I was included in the game plan to play, and [Saturday] I was told I wasn’t playing, that’s why I thought I was playing,” Diggs said via CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell. “It was a quick decision. I thought I was going to come here and play, but they thought otherwise. That’s exactly what it was.”

While Diggs said he felt well enough to play, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and team owner and general manager Jerry Jones felt differently.

“Diggs isn’t healthy enough to be there for us. Period,” Jones said after the loss to the Vikings. “You have to watch practice and whether they’re practicing well enough. Whether it’s a limitation they’ve had in the last few games or a long-term injury, you have to make up your mind when you see him practice. When we watched practice, we didn’t like what we saw in terms of his health and his ability to play.”

Ultimately, Diggs was activated for the Week 16 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, then played 100% of the defensive snaps in the Christmas victory against the Washington Commanders. However, Diggs now gets a change of scenery.

Diggs is a two-time Pro Bowl player and was named first team All-Pro in 2021 when he led the league in interceptions with 11. In 66 career games played, the brother of New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs has recorded 240 tackles, 63 passes defended and 20 interceptions.