Trevon Diggs Could Lose Money for Missing the Cowboys Program
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs could forfeit $500,000 of his 2025 base salary for not participating in the team’s offseason program. Diggs has chosen to rehabilitate his operated left knee in Miami, away from the team’s facilities.
Diggs did not attend the first two phases of the offseason program and has also not participated in the team’s organized activities for the last three weeks.
According to his contract, Diggs needs to participate in 84.375% of the offseason program to avoid a salary reduction.
The Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp will take place from June 10th to 12th. Any player who misses the minicamp will be subject to fines.
While the offseason program is voluntary, the Cowboys have for years included salary reduction clauses in the contracts of important players, such as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Osa Odighizuwa, which practically guarantees the players’ participation.
Diggs is believed to be the first player who could see a reduction in his base salary if the Cowboys decide to enforce the clause.
Even though Diggs is rehabilitating from surgery, the contract states that a player “must rehabilitate such injury as required and under the supervision of the Club’s Head Coach until full participation in the ‘Off-Season Program’ can be achieved. Rehabilitation supervised by the Player with the Club’s Head Coach will count towards the Player’s 84.375% completion requirement.”
All indications are positive.
Brian Schottenheimer, Coach
Executive Vice President Stephen Jones stated that Diggs is being “diligent” in his rehabilitation, but also indicated that the team’s preference is for Diggs to rehabilitate with the organization.
We understand that he is doing the work and will be back, and we will see him next week [at minicamp].
Stephen Jones, Executive Vice President
Last year, there was some frustration from the organization about how Diggs approached his ACL rehabilitation. Over draft weekend, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Diggs is “working hard.”
Diggs is scheduled to earn $9 million this year under the five-year, $97 million contract he signed in 2023. In the last two years, he has played in 13 of 34 possible regular season games due to injuries. In 2023, he suffered an ACL tear during practice before the third game of the season.In January, Diggs underwent a chondral tissue graft in which pieces of bone and cartilage were transplanted to the affected area of his knee to improve joint function.
Diggs is likely to start training camp on the physically unable to play list. If he starts the season on PUP, he would miss at least the first four games. Former Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown underwent a similar procedure and continued his career.
We won’t have an idea of when he’ll be able to get involved in everything until we get to training camp, when we’re with him day after day and see how he’s progressing.
Stephen Jones, Executive Vice President
There is some concern at the cornerback position due to Diggs’ injury and the loss of nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis in free agency.
The Cowboys have 2024 Pro Bowler DaRon Bland healthy after missing the first 10 games of last season due to foot surgery last August. The Cowboys traded for first-round pick Kaiir Elam in the offseason.
In the draft, they selected Shavon Revel in the third round, but he is recovering from an ACL injury suffered last September at East Carolina and might not be ready for the start of training camp. Caelen Carson, a fourth-round pick last year, is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and Josh Butler is also in the midst of a comeback from an ACL tear.
