Trevon Diggs Move To WR? Dallas Cowboys Have Smarter Solution
"There are no dumb questions,'' or so it is said.
But we will argue that this one - "Will the Dallas Cowboys move Trevon Diggs to wide receiver?'' - borders on being one.
And, it seems, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn agrees.
“He did it in major-college football early in his career before he moved over,'' Quinn said in response to a media question about the Pro Bowl cornerback moving to offense. "So I would say, ‘Yes, he could. But, no, he can’t.'''
Coach, please clarify.
“Yes he could, but no he won’t,'' Quinn said. "How about that?”
That's perfectly clear, and so is the reasoning. Let's dig in ...
First off, we're kidding about the "dumb question'' thing. It was posed by our friends to Quinn on an appearance on "The Doomsday Podcast,'' and we totally get it. It's a "fun'' idea.
But seriously ... it's nothing more than that.
Yes, before he became an All-Pro cornerback for the Cowboys, Diggs started his career at Alabama playing as a wide receiver - the same position played by his Pro Bowl brother, Stefon Diggs, in Buffalo.
So he's got the bloodlines. He's got the background. He's built like a wide receiver. He's got the hands and the ball-skills, as evidenced by his NFL-best 11 interceptions in 2021.
So ... Could he move back to the position?
And the right answer is, as Quinn put it, “Of course he could.''
And that is to say ...
1) Had Trevon somehow remained at receiver at Alabama after his freshman year of 2016, when Diggs had 11 receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown before making the switch to defensive back? Maybe he plays his entire career at the spot, and then gets drafted at the spot, and excels in the NFL at the spot.
2) Additionally, if there was some ridiculous emergency for Dallas on offense? Absolutely. But this isn't an emergency. The Cowboys have at receiver CeeDee Lamb and question marks ... but it's not CeeDee Lamb and guys who have done less than Trevon at the position; the people vying for playing time are actually more accomplished at receiver than Diggs.
3) These NFL guys are some of the greatest athletes on the planet. Growing up, almost all of them were the biggest, strongest, fastest, most agile, most aggressive, most graceful kids in their towns.
So, "could'' Micah Parsons play running back? Sure!
"Could'' Dak Prescott play tight end? Sure!
"Could'' Zack Martin kick a field goal? Well ... sure, maybe!
But this isn't an emergency and this isn't a goof.
The Cowboys have tried this before, with the greatest cornerback of all-time, one of the greatest return men of all time, and one of the greatest athletes in the history of humankind, Deion Sanders. In 1996, a Dallas offense featuring Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin used him as a full-time receiver.
Deion caught 36 balls for 475 yards and one TD.
He was not a major factor, in part because there simply wasn't enough time in the day for him to truly absorb everything needed to make it work, because of course he was also full-time on defense and on special teams.
In Diggs' case? He's an outstanding talent; Dallas personnel boss Will McClay says criticism of him represents "clickbait.'' (Diggs himself has cited a certain "fake stat.'') But we bet McClay also believes Diggs would be better off continuing to master the cornerback position while leaving it to somebody else - Jalen Tolbert or Dennis Houston or TJ Vasher or Noah Brown or Simi Fehoko - to catch 36 passes for 475 yards and one TD?
Said Quinn in praise of Diggs: "When (the ball is) in the air: ‘That’s mine.’ It’s not: ‘I’m coming trying to knock it down. That was in the air for me.’ And he wants to go get it.”
And he will. And he will do so - barring an emergency or a goof - as a cornerback.
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