Dallas Cowboys tout to players returning from injuries as enhancements, but how true is…..

Dallas Cowboys tout to players returning from injuries as enhancements, but how true is…..

Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager, held a news conference two days before the NFL Draft with executive vice president Stephen Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy. The second question posed to the father-son combo was about their excitement for the draft, given that it was the next significant opportunity to strengthen the roster after a quiet free agency.

Jerry Jones responded first, explaining the salary cap and emphasising the necessity of young, inexpensive players having a huge influence. When Stephen Jones began his response, he mentioned that a lack of movement in free agency will make it simpler for draftees to get on the field. Then he mentioned a couple names that were not offseason signings but were being marketed as such.

“We do have some guys who didn’t play for us last year,” Stephen Jones stated. “(DeMarvion) Overshown, John Stephens Jr., was on his way to making this team before tearing his ACL.” You have (Trevon) Diggs, who only played a handful of games last year, so we’ll have him back.”

Though those players are at varying stages of showing their NFL worth, the Cowboys might benefit from their skill. It is true that those players are ready to return from injuries — all three tore ACLs — and contribute significantly to the team. However, proposing them as a replacement for offseason activities is poor thinking for several reasons. Before proceeding, it is important to note that Stephen Jones’ framing is just intended to create a public excuse for inactivity during a key player acquisition window. Perhaps he is aware of the Cowboys fan base’s irritation and is attempting to communicate more positivity after pessimism took centre stage due to the team’s overall outlook at the time. That’s understandable.

However, if the front office sees Diggs, Overshown, and, to a lesser extent, Stephens as enhancements in the long run, that is concerning.

To start with the obvious: each player’s return from injury is unpredictable. A torn ACL isn’t the same physical setback as it was a few decades ago, but it’s still a serious injury. The Cowboys had seen it with Michael Gallup the previous two seasons. Gallup, a 1,000-yard receiver in 2019, never fully recovered after injuring his ACL in the final week of the 2021 season.

The Cowboys had seen it with Michael Gallup the previous two seasons. Gallup, a 1,000-yard receiver in 2019, never fully recovered after injuring his ACL in the final week of the 2021 season. From a chronology perspective, the three players mentioned above had a good scenario. Stephens and Overshown tore their ACLs during the preseason, while Diggs did so before Week 3. They will each have nearly a year of undisturbed rehab time, with no clock ticking in front of them to push their return to the pitch. It doesn’t hurt that each player is 25 or younger.

It is not unreasonable to expect all three to return to their pre-injury states, if not improve, but it may take some time and is still not guaranteed.

Diggs is the most experienced of the three, an All-Pro with a proven track record of creating plays. His signing is likely to help any team, but how much does it improve the Cowboys’ cornerback position from last season? Without Diggs, the Cowboys have two healthy outside corners and a quality slot cornerback with iffy depth.