Dallas, TX – In a move that’s left Cowboys Nation reeling, reports surfaced on September 20, 2025, that owner and general manager Jerry Jones has quietly begun shopping star cornerback Trevon Diggs in potential blockbuster trade discussions. The $97 million All-Pro, once hailed as the cornerstone of Dallas’ secondary, is now on the trading block amid mounting frustrations over injuries, performance dips, and a shifting defensive scheme – just two weeks into the 2025 season.
The bombshell comes on the heels of a chaotic Week 2 overtime thriller where the Cowboys escaped with a 40-37 victory over the New York Giants, but not without their secondary being lit up for 450 passing yards by a resurgent Russell Wilson. Diggs, slotted as the team’s shutdown corner, bore the brunt of the criticism, allowing a league-worst 158.3 QB passer rating and earning a dismal 50.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus through the first two games – ranking him 109th out of 140 eligible cornerbacks.
ESPN analyst and former NFL MVP Cam Newton didn’t hold back on First Take following the win, zeroing in on Diggs’ penchant for being involved in game-altering disasters. “Trevon Diggs, why are we always seeing you at the end of some really long, disastrous play for your team that’s a huge play for the other team?” Newton thundered on September 15. “The Dallas pass defense needs to be addressed.” The remarks echoed a growing sentiment around the league: Diggs’ aggressive man-coverage style, which netted him an NFL-record 11 interceptions in 2021, hasn’t meshed with new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ zone-heavy scheme – a stark departure from the schemes run by predecessors Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn.
Insiders close to the Cowboys’ front office whisper that Jones’ patience has worn thin. Diggs’ contract, inked in July 2023 as a five-year, $97 million extension, carries no guarantees beyond 2025, giving Dallas flexibility to cut ties with a post-season release saving $12 million in cap space. But with Diggs’ history of season-ending injuries – an ACL tear in 2023 and a knee cartilage issue sidelining him early in 2024 – trade talks could accelerate if a contender dangles draft capital. “Jerry’s not one to wait around for ‘what ifs,'” a source told Marca earlier this year. “If Diggs isn’t the guy in this new system, why pay for the baggage?”
The timing couldn’t be more precarious. The Cowboys sit at 1-1, their offense humming with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb trading haymakers, but the defense – particularly the secondary – remains on life support. Eberflus, imported from Chicago to instill discipline, has the unit experimenting with more underneath zone coverage, a fit that plays to the strengths of rising stars like third-round rookie Shavon Revel Jr. The former East Carolina standout, drafted despite his own 2024 ACL rehab, has turned heads in limited preseason snaps. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell speculated as much in a September 19 column, warning that a seamless transition for Revel could render Diggs expendable. “Let’s say they find out they have a young cornerback who fits better as a zone corner than one or more of their incumbents do,” Barnwell wrote. “Does that make someone such as Trevon Diggs a trade candidate? That is pure speculation, but it’s an example of the point.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Dallas locked up fellow All-Pro corner DaRon Bland to a four-year, $90 million extension on August 31, signaling a long-term commitment to the other half of their vaunted CB duo. With Bland sidelined briefly in Week 2 by a foot injury, Revel stepped in admirably, but the rookie’s upside has scouts buzzing. “If Revel shows he can be a high-level NFL starter,” one AFC personnel exec told Cowboys Wire, “why not flip Diggs for a first-rounder and reload elsewhere? Jerry’s always wheeling and dealing.”
Jones’ reported overtures aren’t entirely out of left field. The Cowboys’ offseason was a saga of discontent: Diggs’ base salary was docked $500,000 via a contract de-escalator for skipping OTAs and minicamp to rehab in South Florida, drawing sharp rebukes from both Jerry and EVP Stephen Jones. “We expect a player paid like Trevon to be here all the time,” Jerry snapped during training camp in Oxnard. Stephen added, “He understood the consequences.” Diggs, ever the optimist, downplayed the rift in August, calling his relationship with Jones “great” and insisting he’s “very hungry” to return – potentially as early as Week 5 if he stays on the PUP list.
But actions speak louder. Fresh off trading edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and DT Kenny Clark in a stunning August 29 deal – a move that shocked the league and hinted at a subtle rebuild – Jones appears poised to reshape the roster further. Parsons’ exit, amid contract disputes and “leadership” concerns, set the tone; now, Diggs could be next. “If the 2025 season goes downhill quickly, it might not even take that long to fully confirm the club is in rebuild mode,” Cowboys Wire opined post-trade. Early signs? The secondary ranks 31st in PFF’s 2025 projections, a far cry from the lockdown unit that propelled Dallas to playoff contention.
Cowboys Nation is in uproar on social media, with #FreeDiggs trending alongside pleas to #TankForShedeur. “Trading Diggs after everything? Jerry’s lost his mind,” one fan tweeted. Others see the pragmatism: “Time to cut bait. Revel and Bland are the future.” As trade deadline rumors swirl – with teams like the Eagles, Lions, and Chiefs rumored to be sniffing around – one thing’s clear: The $97 million man who once embodied Dallas’ defensive renaissance might soon be suiting up elsewhere.
For now, Jones remains coy, telling reporters after Sunday’s win, “We’re always exploring ways to get better. Trevon’s a star, but football’s a business.” In Star, that business just got brutal. Will Revel’s return from his own injury seal Diggs’ fate? Or can the veteran rebound and silence the skeptics? Cowboys fans, brace yourselves – the blockbuster could drop any day.