Caleb Harris
FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys secondary is on pace to get a big boost in training camp in late July: the return of two-time Pro Bowler and 2021 first-team All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Diggs, 25, tore his ACL in practice before the Cowboys’ Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals last season, but Dallas likes how his rehabilitation from the injury is progressing and could potentially see him return fully to the field on the training ground. at the end of July.
“It looks good, it looks good,” Cowboys assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Al Harris said Tuesday when asked if Diggs’ rehab will put him on track to be ready for training camp. “Actually, that’s exactly where I was, just watching him. [director of rehab] Britt [Brown] You’re doing a great job with it. As far as the schedule goes, I’ll leave that to Britt and the strength team to tell you that. From what we did today, I thought he did a good job.”
Diggs’ 18 career interceptions since entering the NFL as a second-round pick in 2020, he is tied for second in the league, losing just twice to Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, 19, with Diggs playing 13 fewer games (60-47) in that span. Fellow Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who moved to outside corner in Diggs’ absence last year and ended up leading the NFL in interceptions with nine, including five returned for touchdowns (an NFL single-season record), feels the same regarding Diggs. rehabilitation like Harris.
“A lot of people aren’t expecting what Tre is going to come back with,” Bland said at the 2024 Reliant Home Run Derby, benefiting the Salvation Army, on May 1. be something dangerous. Can not wait.”
The danger Dallas’ defensive backfield presents with Diggs and Bland, whose 14 career interceptions since entering the NFL as a 2022 fifth-round pick lead the league, has Harris nearly jumping for joy when talking about what the duo can do together. He has been a part of both players’ development throughout their careers, as he came to Dallas when the team hired head coach Mike McCarthy in 2020.
“Shit, I’m excited,” Harris said when talking about having Bland and Diggs play against each other as All-Pros. “I’m sorry, man. Seriously, I’m excited. When you get guys that you’ve prepared, coached, mentored and see your work on tape, that’s all I can ask for as a coach. ‘Look, I’m asking you to do this, I know that your work is difficult.’ You go out and do it, that’s all [why] I’m excited to see these guys together.”
As for who will accumulate more interceptions between the two former leaders of the category in a single season, this will depend on which corner has the most chances.
“It depends, which way are they going to throw the ball more?” Harris said.
NFL teams are well aware of the threat Bland poses following his performance last season, something that has translated into his recognition off the field.
“It’s definitely harder to keep a low profile after last season, but I’m enjoying it,” Bland said. “(I was recognized) at the gas station, randomly. I got out of the car and someone said ‘Hey!'”
However, Harris isn’t worried about Bland’s newfound stardom affecting how his 24-year-old corner handles his business on or off the field.
“No, not all because the man, take the player out of it, the man (Bland is) not that kind of guy,” Harris said. “He’ll always be able to handle success. Extremely humble young man. So you don’t have to worry about that from this guy.”
Harris was the Cowboys coach who first saw Bland at his pro dayand they remain incredibly close to this day.
“He has been very important [to my development],” Bland said when asked about Harris. “Coming in, you won’t always have a coach who will give you that boost of confidence to tell you to go and get the ball, to tell you to go and do you. Having him in the room and as an assistant coach, where everyone on the team can experience him now, has been fantastic.”
Being great now is the standard for Bland after being one of the league’s first-team All-Pro cornerbacks in 2023, an expectation he feels prepared to meet in the future.
“That’s one thing McCarthy and I have talked about: It’s kind of hard to set a standard from last season,” Bland said. “It will improve confidence. I’m still growing in the league and going into my third year. I’m more confident now.”
The next goal assigned to Bland by Harris is simple, but one that will take Bland a long way in the league: consistency. Harris himself is a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and played 14 seasons in the NFL, so he knows a thing or two about maintaining a quality level of play over a long period of time. Bland has remained steady for most of 2023, but he had a hiccup defending Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf in Week 12: He allowed 108 yards and two touchdowns on three catches while defending him in the first half of a 41- 35 Cowboys win.
“Seven interceptions for a touchdown would be incredible, it would be totally incredible,” Harris said with a laugh. “Realistically, consistency is what we need from our outside players, whether it’s playing safety or making the play, just be consistent with that. the approach we take as corners, whether you have four picks, nine picks or 11 picks, you just add that and go from there.
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Catching up with new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense
The defense that Diggs, Bland and the rest of the Dallas defensive personnel are running in 2024 will be a 2023 departure, with Dan Quinn now in Washington as head coach of the Commanders and Mike Zimmer back in the defensive coordinator role with the Cowboys, a role he performed for seven seasons from 2000-06.
“The most important thing for Mike is to get the language change,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said at rookie minicamp on Friday. “That’s his language. So it’s been an adjustment for everyone. We’re working on it and it looks like we’re off to a good start. And obviously there will be some technical changes, especially up front. So we’re doing the best we can as far as the weather goes.” that we have to operate, as far as the rules and what you can do. But, no, I think Mike’s off to a great start.”
Dallas players echoed that sentiment.
“Right now, [Zimmer is] giving us a better understanding of the game and the defense,” Bland said. “He’s keeping everyone on the same page.”
The Cowboys’ defensive backfield can sometimes be like a library, with Bland and Diggs being more natural introverts as people, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t bringing the kind of intensity to their game that Zimmer is known for incorporating.
“Playing outdoors, you can’t be too arrogant or just weird,” Harris said. “Because one day you could be great, but if someone has your number, you know what I mean? The more humble we get is great for the room, and we all have humble guys.”
With Diggs and Bland being All-Pro caliber cornerbacks, Zimmer couldn’t care less about their personalities, as he also harbors the same pleasure as Harris in being able to coach Dallas’ Pro Bowl duo out of the corners.
“Anytime you have two good corners, you can do a lot of other things,” Zimmer said Tuesday. “You can tilt coverage, you can play man-to-man, you can double other guys. That’s an exciting part, and normally when I have good corners, we play really well. So knock on wood, we will.”
