The Dallas Cowboys put together a strong offensive display on Christmas, but there was nothing left to play for at this point in the season. Now, they will close out the year with a road divisional matchup with the New York Giants, and they must use that opportunity to give overlooked players a chance to show what they've got.
That means that Brian Schottenheimer shouldn't even consider activating Trevon Diggs for the regular-season finale. If anything, he may have already played his last snap with the team in the win over the Washington Commanders.
Trevon Diggs Shouldn't be Back With the Cowboys Next Season
Trevon Diggs has been a liability and a headache for the Cowboys for most of the season. He only played in eight games due to a concussion and a knee injury, and his performances left plenty to be desired, even when healthy.
Diggs has given up 16 receptions on 21 targets (76.2%) for 254 yards and four touchdowns. Despite playing in just eight games, he's already given up the second-most touchdowns of his career. Opposing quarterbacks have a 156.5 passer rating when targeting him, and he's giving up a whopping 16.2 yards per completion, the second-most of his career.
The Cowboys have a promising player in Shavon Revel Jr. He hasn't been very good as a rookie, but he also missed most of the season with an injury, and, given his potential, the team needs to give him as much playing time as possible next season.
Parting ways with Diggs would save the Cowboys between $12.5 million and $15.5 million in salary cap money, depending on whether they cut him before or after June 1. That should make parting ways with him a no-brainer.
If that wasn't a big enough reason to move on from him, Diggs has always been known for his vocal nature, and he openly criticized defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus earlier in the season. More than that, Coach Schottenheimer didn't sound too eager to get him back on the field, even when he was trending toward returning.
Diggs used to be a master at creating turnovers, yet he doesn't even have one interception this season. He was always a volatile player who was prone to giving up big gains, but he often made up for that with his ability to generate takeaways. Now, after an injury-riddled season, not seeing eye-to-eye with the coaching staff, and being on an expensive contract, there's no reason to get him on the field in Week 18 or any time else.