OXNARD, California — Nearly 11 months after an injury altered the arc of his career, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs bolted forward during a play at Wednesday’s practice.
At the time, Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson was sprinting across the middle of the field several yards in front of Diggs. Johnson had just hauled in a short reception and began to turn up the field. But Diggs converged on his opponent in a flash and wedged his right hand between the ball and Johnson’s biceps.
Then, Diggs yanked. The ball sputtered out of Johnson’s hands and whistles blared. The play was over.
But Diggs’ return from an ACL tear he suffered in September had just begun to accelerate.
Diggs on Wednesday participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time since his injury, and his strip of Johnson offered a reminder that he still harbors the playmaking ability that helped him become one of the NFL’s brightest stars. It also represented a significant step toward Diggs’ ultimate goal of playing well when the regular season opens Sept. 8.
“It felt good getting back, moving around, with other players flying around and bodies near me,” Diggs said. “It was good. I got a lot of great work in today.”
Diggs hadn’t played a game or mimicked one in practice in almost a full year before Wednesday. So, in some senses, he felt a burst of excitement taking the field with the Rams.
“It kind of felt like my first game when I was a rookie,” Diggs said.
And the return to action appeared smooth. In addition to stripping Johnson, Diggs also grabbed an interception, which might’ve sparked a familiar feeling. He picked off an NFL high 11 passes in 2021.
Beyond the forced turnovers, Diggs also had the opportunity to test himself against the NFL’s best wide receivers when he shadowed Rams star Cooper Kupp on several occasions.
Perhaps most importantly for the Cowboys, Diggs said after practice he didn’t hesitate or think too deeply about his surgically repaired knee.
“I trust it now,” Diggs said. “It’s just more so getting more repetitions, just getting back to doing what I do, getting familiar with the routes and that’s pretty much it. As far as my mental, being scared or anything, I’m not.”