Cowboys Star Expected to Ask for $20 Million-Per-Year Contract

Getty Dallas Cowboys corner Trevon Diggs intercepts a pass during an NFL game.

The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off a few shrewd moves in the 2023 offseason, but the team still has several key decisions looming in the near future.

It’s an inherent part of being competitive: big decisions. It’s how owner Jerry Jones helped the team to multiple Super Bowls and to become one of the most recognizable names in sports.

While Dallas has several plates spinning at the moment, one big decision that is around the corner is Trevon Diggs’ next deal. The young corner has made a name for himself with the Cowboys but is due a big payday soon.

The Athletic’s Jon Machota believes that Diggs will want a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid corners in the league. That could stretch into the $20 million zone.

“Diggs is in a different class than those other two. I’d be much more willing to pay him than Jones or Awuzie. And the Cowboys feel the same way. Now, that doesn’t mean that the number couldn’t climb beyond Dallas’ comfort zone. I would expect him to be looking for something among the highest-paid at the position. So, that’s in the neighborhood of $20 million per year,” Machota wrote.

That would be a gargantuan deal, but Diggs has shown that he’s one of the best ballhawks in the NFL. It’s just a matter of paying him.

Trevon Diggs Came Back to Earth in 2022

It’s hard to frame a three-interception season as “coming back to Earth,” but that’s the standard Diggs set for himself with his monstrous 2021 campaign. 11 interceptions and 21 passes defended is simply on a different level and it was going to be impossible to replicate.

But as Pro Football Reference shows, Diggs had another impressive campaign. Besides the 3 INTs, he also had 14 passes defended and hit 50 solo tackles. A smaller feat, but Diggs not missing any time to injury was also an encouraging sign for Dallas.

Diggs’ feast-or-famine style still creates opportunities for opposing offenses, but he limited the amount of yards he gave up compared to 2021. 673 yards through the air still isn’t great, but a stark improvement from 907 passing yards allowed in 2021.

Cowboys CB Could Be on Chopping Block

While the Cowboys and Diggs think about the long-term future, fellow corner Jourdan Lewis is likely thinking about the immediate future. The veteran corner was recently listed as a potential cut candidate should the Cowboys take a new CB early in the 2023 NFL draft.

Blogging the Boys contributor Jess Haynie believes any corner drafted in the third round or sooner would be a warning sign to Lewis.

“A Day 1 or Day 2 prospect would almost certainly enter the fray as a top-four corner, pushing either [DaRon] Bland or Lewis even further down the line. At that point, Lewis’ big cap number might be more than the Cowboys are willing to carry,” Haynie wrote.

Spotrac shows that Lewis is due another $4.7 million this season after a signing bonus. Cutting him and drafting a replacement likely saves Dallas close to $4 million this season, a significant chunk of change should they need financial space to improve the team.