Everyone seems to be excited to have Trevon Diggs back at cornerback, but given that ACL tears take awhile to recover from (see Terence Steele last year and Michael Gallup the year before), do the Cowboys have any interest in bringing back Stephon Gilmore or adding someone else for insurance? – Marcus Whitt/Mullens, WV
Nick Eatman: I think they have interest in bringing back Gilmore, but it doesn't seem to be at the same price as he's wanting. And that has obviously been a theme of this offseason. You're not wrong about Diggs' injury and how it can take some time to get fully back to the same player we've seen before. But I think the Cowboys are hoping on the development of younger players such as Nahshon Wright and Caelen Carson and maybe they find something in Conley from the UFL. This team still has Jourdan Lewis and DaRon Bland. It's not ideal and you'd like to have insurance, but with anything you're trying to insure, it's not cheap. I think the Cowboys are banking on Diggs being good to go.
Kurt: It sounds like Diggs will be ready for training camp, but there's a big difference between just returning to the field and again being a Pro Bowler. You're right, as we've seen from previous players, getting back to the same level of play takes time with the mental side of it being as big or perhaps even a bigger challenge than the physical recovery. So to say Diggs is going to step right in and not miss a beat seems wishful thinking, especially as a cornerback. Ideally, the Cowboys' young prospects will fill the void, and quite frankly, some need to. We all know the team's salary cap issues, and they have made investments at corner already through draft picks. All of this is easily solved if those like Nahshon Wright, Eric Scott and even Caelen Carson can become impact players. They'll certainly be given a chance to in training camp and the preseason, but if they can't deliver, then Dallas either has to wait on Diggs to find his form or add another veteran before the regular season starts. Whether that is Gilmore remains to be seen. He doesn't sound in any hurry to find a deal, saying earlier this month, "I'm just being patient and waiting for the right opportunity." Could that opportunity eventually come with the Cowboys? It may have to.
