FRISCO, Texas — If the Cowboys were planning on putting together one of the most diverse, yet fearsome cornerback rooms in the NFL this season, there is certainly more than enough promise to support that dream with the group they have put in place.
Already possessing a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro in Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys decided to double down in their attempt to build the best cornerback duo by adding former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore back in March, via trade with the Colts to complete their quest.
"It means a lot filling that void we had," Diggs said on the addition of Gilmore. "He's a leader. I can learn a lot from him, and I feel like it's going to bring pure dominance on the defense."
Even better? Diggs has already taken his notepad and pencil with him anytime he and Gilmore talk to soak up any and all the knowledge he can as the two begin to forge their relationship.
'We're good friends," Diggs said of Gilmore. "I talk to him a lot. I've been talking to Gilmore since I got to the league. I always asked him questions when I first got started. Now I've got him on my team so I can bug him every day."
As Diggs continues his pursuit to take yet another step forward towards being the best corner in the league in his already brilliantly young career, he's already made good on soaking in everything he can from Gilmore in the short time he's been in Dallas.
"[Telling me] how to stay consistent," Diggs said when asked what he and Gilmore have discussed. "How to slow the game down even more because when I watch him when he plays, he literally plays in slow motion, but it's really fast. But he's so smart. It looks like he's walking on water. It looks so easy.
"So, I want to learn how to do that and learn how to just take my game to the next level."
Even as he prepares for his age-32 season with his fifth different team, Gilmore was quick to point out that he can still bring it plenty on the field just as much as he can in terms of knowledge to the rest of the Cowboys' secondary. After all, the five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro has 29 interceptions on his career line to go with that 2019 DPOY award.
"You watch the film from last year and you can see it," Gilmore said. "So last year was last year. And like I say every year I turn the page and I prove myself every year so that's how I look at it."
Should Diggs continue to stick to his word and keep following up on his promise by staying attached to the hip of the 11-year veteran, Gilmore would likely have zero issue with that. And it's not just Diggs that will likely look to learn all he can from Gilmore.
With DaRon Bland coming off an unexpectedly strong rookie campaign in 2022, the Cowboys have a cornerback trio that most teams would envy.
"I'm excited to see where he goes in year 2," Diggs said. "It's a lot in store for him. Great kid. Talented. I'm very excited and can't wait to see the show… He was really comfortable in Year 1, so Year 2 is only going to get better."
When all three of those players are right with the addition of Jourdan Lewis coming off his injury, there are very few cornerback rooms in the NFL that can compete with what the Cowboys have assembled. But like Gilmore astutely put it on Wednesday night at the Reliant Home Run Derby - potential is just that in May - potential.
"We haven't got on the practice field yet just communicating with each other," Gilmore said. "I just think we can be as good as we want to be, we just have to put the work in and go out there and prove it in practice and in the game. Once we do that, the chips will fall where they fall."
