The Dallas Cowboys are back in Oxnard, California, for the start of training camp, and as the team is setting the foundation for the 2023 season, they've also locked down one of their star defenders for the foreseeable future. Cornerback Trevon Diggs has signed an extension, the team announced Tuesday. The deal is for five years and worth $97 million, according to NFL Media.
This deal also has a reported max value of $104 million and makes Diggs, who was entering the final year of his rookie deal, one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. From an average annual salary standpoint, Packers corner Jaire Alexander is the highest-paid corner in the league entering 2023 with an AAV of $21 million. Browns corner Denzel Ward sits second at $20.1 million, New Orleans' Marshon Lattimore is third with $19.52 million and Marlon Humphrey of the Ravens is fourth at $19.5 million. Going by Diggs' $97 million, he'd see an AAV of $19.4 million, which puts him fifth among all NFL corners.
The Cowboys selected Diggs with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Almost instantly, the 24-year-old has established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL and is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns in 2021 and 2022. He also earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 after leading the NFL with 11 interceptions.
While Diggs has been prolific at creating turnovers, his gambling play style has also burned him on occasion. Since entering the NFL in 2020, no cornerback in the league has recorded more interceptions (17) than Diggs. However, he's also allowed the most yards (2,362) over the last three seasons as well. Diggs is also tied for the third-most touchdowns (16) given up over that stretch.
Last season, he held opposing quarterbacks to an 86.1 passer rating when targeted and a 64.7 completion percentage.
This could be just the latest in what is set to be a busy next few years for the Cowboys front office as several players are due for new deals. That includes key pillars to the organization like Dak Prescott (two years left on current contract), CeeDee Lamb (two years left on rookie contract) and Micah Parsons (three years left on rookie contract including the fifth-year option for 2025).
"I actually feel really good about where we are, not only in the intermediate but also in the long term," Cowboys COO and EVP Stephen Jones said earlier Tuesday before the Diggs news surfaced. "We're very motivated to sign these young guys."
According to Spotrac's figures, the Cowboys have $24.1 million in available cap space for the 2023 season (third most in the NFL) and $8.87 million (23rd) currently for 2024.
