The Trevon Diggs’ saga took a new turn on Saturday as the Dallas Cowboys placed the veteran cornerback on injured reserve because of a concussion and knee injury. Diggs missed Dallas’ Week 7 game against the Washington Commanders due to the head injury he suffered at his home.
However, it was the knee injury that reportedly put him on IR. WFAA’s Ed Werder reported that Diggs was dealing with “residual problems with his right knee.” With the veteran cornerback out now for at least the next four games, Kaiir Elam is the immediate benefactor as Dallas will get an extended look at him.
But he isn’t the only cornerback that the Cowboys will be looking to step up. Second-year corner Caelen Carson will also be under the microscope, as he has the chance to change the narrative about himself.
Caelen Carson Receives Newfound Opportunity with Trevon Diggs on IR
The former fifth-round pick made his 2025 debut last week against the Commanders after being on injured reserve for the first six weeks due to a knee injury. While Carson didn’t get any snaps on defense, it was good to see him back on the field playing special teams (7).
However, with Diggs out, the Cowboys will likely need the former Wake Forest standout to play some snaps on defense. As a rookie last season, Carson appeared in six games and made five starts.
The 6-foot, 195-pound cornerback wasn’t a shutdown defender in coverage, as he had a 75.8 completion percentage allowed on targets, a 120.8 passer rating allowed when targeted, but only gave up one touchdown.
However, Carson’s PFF grade tells a different story as he posted a 36.7 coverage grade, which is impressive to say the least. That said, if Carson can replicate that this season or come close to it, it will give the Cowboys’ CB room a huge boost.
Even though Elam played well against the Commanders (45.5 passer rating allowed) in Week 7, the jury is still out on whether or not he can be a starting-caliber cornerback in the NFL. This weekend's game against the Denver Broncos will be a better test for Elam and Carson, as the Broncos have a nice WR trio in Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, and Troy Franklin.
The Cowboys will give Elam the chance to prove himself, but they will also want to see what Carson and, eventually, rookie Shavon Revel can do. Diggs’ future with the Cowboys is uncertain past this season, so the opportunity will be there for someone to step up and take command of the CB2 job.