FRISCO - As the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to recover from a disappointing 7-10 mark a season ago, they've re-tooled their wide receiver room by bringing in former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens.
That, along with a healthy Dak Prescott and a new plan at running back, will hopefully equip new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and his staff to compete for the NFC East title and a postseason berth.
But what about the defense? Can it afford to lose important pieces?
Star corner and former second-round draft pick Trevon Diggs was named by Bleacher Report as a "veteran player in need of a fresh start," and writer Brent Sobleski suggests trading him to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round pick.
“Dallas added depth at cornerback this offseason by trading for former first-round pick Kaiir Elam and selecting East Carolina's Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round of the draft,” he wrote. “That duo will join DaRon Bland and Israel Mukuamu, who can cover the slot after Jourdan Lewis' departure in free agency. Another team in search of cornerback help should take a flier on Diggs since he's one of the league's biggest defensive playmakers when healthy.
"A trade would help the Cowboys free up money to re-sign Bland, who is a free agent after the 2025 campaign, or for the mega-extension that edge-rusher Micah Parsons will inevitably sign.”
That last point suggests BR is in over its head here. Dallas doesn’t need 2025 cap room to sign Micah as his new deal will actually reduce his 2025 cap impact,
And on the field?
Losing Diggs for the "bargain price of a 2026 sixth-round pick" would turn the Cowboys into a cornerback-needy team. Both Elam and Revel Jr. are unproven. Revel Jr. is a rookie, and Elam has started a total of 12 games over three seasons, with little promise.
Diggs suggested that he's getting healthy and will be ready to play this season. The eventual starting combination of Diggs and Bland could turn into one of the best duos in the league.
And losing that possibility for a measly sixth-round pick would be ridiculous.