The Dallas Cowboys activated cornerback Trevon Diggs off the physically unable to perform list Sunday, clearing the way for the 2021 All-Pro to play early in the season coming off his second major knee injury.
The Cowboys also released veteran offensive lineman La'el Collins, who started 71 of his 74 games with Dallas from 2015-21, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the decision.
Collins joined the Cowboys during training camp in California and played in the preseason finale Friday, a 31-13 victory over Atlanta.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer has said he expected Diggs to be on the team's 53-man roster when it is set Tuesday, which means the Cowboys believe he can make his season debut sometime in the first four weeks. Diggs had to pass a physical to come off the PUP list.
Dallas withheld a $500,000 workout bonus from Diggs when he chose to rehab the injury with his own medical personnel in the offseason. Schottenheimer went out of his way to praise Diggs' work in training camp.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about how hard Trevon’s been working,” the first-year coach said. “These things don’t happen if he’s not putting in the time and the effort to do the stuff that he’s been doing. Really proud of him.”
Diggs was limited to 11 games in 2024 after sustaining a season-ending knee injury for the second year in a row. He tore an ACL in practice after two games in 2023.
Diggs, who turns 27 next month, is unlikely to play in the opener at Philadelphia on Sept. 4. He isn't ready to commit to when he'll play, but says the intensity of his work has ramped up.
“It's going to pick up way more during this week,” Diggs said after the preseason game against the Falcons. “I want to practice as much as possible, get live reps in. I feel like practice will tell me a lot more, where I am.”
Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021, the most in the league since Everson Walls had the same number for Dallas as a rookie in 1981.
DaRon Bland, who had a record five interception returns for touchdowns two years ago, is the only other established starter at cornerback. Kaiir Elam, acquired from Buffalo in the offseason, is the other starter on the unofficial depth chart.
Caelen Carson started five games when Bland was injured last season, and Andrew Booth started twice among his seven games.
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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press
