Cowboys' Trevon Diggs placing strain on self to be a vocal chief with Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence harm

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys (2-2) dropping each three-time All-Professional edge rusher Micah Parsons (excessive ankle sprain) and four-time Professional Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (Lisfranc/mid-foot sprain) of their 20-15 highway win on the New York Giants is nothing in need of “tragic” within the phrases of Parsons himself. 

Lawrence was placed on injured reserve this week, and Parsons was advised by Cowboys head athletic coach Jim Maurer “‘yeah, you are in all probability not going to have the ability to go [in Week 5].'”

“It is positively tragic as a result of like clearly I by no means wish to see me and Legislation out on the identical time,” Parsons said on Monday. “It is simply all a part of the check, man. It simply provides extra room for these guys that is coming and enjoying much more time to prepare. Truthfully, it is not like a horrible factor. You these guys to be prepared, so once we get late within the season, these guys can be ready to undergo it. They bought the expertise and maintain getting higher and higher.”    

“These are two dynamic guys,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer stated on Monday. “Good leaders, good crew guys. “We’ll must make some changes and see the way it goes.”

Head coach Mike McCarthy did his greatest to spin their on-field absences as “an ideal alternative” to showcase the depth and combat that Dallas has. 

“It is an ideal alternative for the others. It’s extremely obvious,” McCarthy stated on Wednesday. “You stroll into your crew assembly, and you bought DLaw and Micah sitting within the entrance row due to the accidents that they are coping with. It’s a nice alternative for others. We’re enthusiastic about it. We took a step in New York, had an opportunity to catch our breath. Clearly accidents are a part of it. You by no means wish to lose any of your guys, particularly high guys. It is a nice alternative to indicate the standard of our soccer crew. We’re enthusiastic about this. They’re nonetheless an enormous a part of our crew. That hasn’t modified. They’re nonetheless right here daily. They’re clearly going via the remedy course of and so forth. It is all in regards to the journey. We’ve quite a lot of soccer in entrance of us.”    

“Yeah, positively these guys are going to be missed this week,” Cowboys two-time Professional Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs stated on Wednesday. “The youthful guys must step up, and we will must play [as] much more of a unit to get this job executed.”  

One of many changes being made by Diggs is how he carries himself, each on and off the sphere, with Parsons and Lawrence out. The quiet, extra introverted cornerback usually lets his play do the speaking: his 16 interceptions since Dallas drafted Parsons and employed Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator in 2021 rank as probably the most within the NFL. Nevertheless, he’s placing strain on himself to talk up extra in all areas to impress his teammates with a void in on-field management in the mean time. That is an enormous deal for Diggs.  

“Yeah, somewhat bit,” Diggs stated when requested if he felt added strain with Parsons and Lawrence being out. “DeMarcus is our vocal chief on the protection, so him not being there and Micah is fairly vocal too. I am not as vocal, so I really feel prefer it’s strain on me to get the fellows occurring Sunday. I’ll take accountability and ensure I do this.”

That being stated, Diggs does not count on the Cowboys’ protection to look any completely different on “Sunday Evening Soccer” on the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. He does not care whether or not it is 2024 second-round choose edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland, whom Parsons has personally coached up since coaching camp, and/or four-year veteran Chauncey Golston, whom Parsons in comparison with Miami five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Cameron Wake, rather than Parsons and Lawrence. 

“It should not look completely different,” Diggs stated. “Everyone ought to play to have the ability to play the identical as a result of [you] ought to have the ability to do every little thing that they might do as effectively. Like I stated, younger guys must step up and play collectively.”

Returning the favor

When Diggs tore his ACL throughout follow of Week 3 final season, Parsons made a concerted effort to encourage Diggs all through his restoration. Now, Diggs goes to do the identical for his BFF as Parsons grapples with missing the first football game of not solely his NFL profession, however his whole soccer profession due to an damage. That dates again to his faculty years at Penn State, highschool, center college and Pop Warner/pee wee.

“Simply retaining him in good spirits,” Diggs stated. “Being there for him. I used to be scared for him [when he was being carted off]. I am glad he is okay. He will be again quickly.”

Diggs plans to do a number of the issues Parsons did with him when he was working his means again from a torn ACL throughout the previous yr. 

“Simply doing issues he likes to do,” Diggs stated. “Play [NBA] 2K. Stuff like that. Simply retaining his thoughts off of it and ensuring he is alright.”

Parsons’ work cheering up Diggs, plus the relentless, additional physical therapy work he’s done outside of the Cowboys facility has Diggs feeling near being again to his regular, Professional Bowl self 4 video games into his return.

“I really feel good,” Diggs stated. “I could make the cuts and turns. I can run as as quick I can. I really feel good.”

Occurring the highway to Pittsburgh, the crew with the second-best scoring protection (13.3 factors per recreation allowed) in 2024, in primetime with out their two greatest gamers in Week 5 ought to reveal so much what the type of crew the Cowboys can be this season. Will they be extra just like the crew that has confirmed nice resolve by profitable 12 video games in every of the final three seasons? Or will they be like McCarthy’s first Cowboys crew in 2020 that went 6-10 in a yr wherein quarterback Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle damage derailed all their hopes and goals?

“You are going to be taught so much,” Diggs stated. “We will see what’s in retailer for this weekend, however I bought all the religion in my teammates. So, we can be okay. “