Browns Week One Opponent Dallas Gets a Boost in Their Secondary

On Tuesday, Dallas Cowboys superstar defensive back Trevon Diggs was medically cleared to return from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, crossing another huge milestone in his recovery from a torn ACL.

Diggs’ injury came last season in a September practice. He made a name for himself in 2021 when he registered 11 interceptions and really took the league by storm with his incredibly aggressive playstyle.

While Diggs has been removed from the PUP list, he is not quite all the way ready to begin football activities. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy noted on Tuesday that Diggs will remain in his rehab program but that he and the Cowboys are in “return to play mode.”

Browns fans certainly know the balancing act that surrounds the return from an injury like this. This is not a situation where Diggs can just jump back onto the practice field and be good to go. It will take some time for him to get back into playing shape.

The Browns will host the Cowboys in Cleveland on Sept. 8. That is still a long way out, and there is ample time for Diggs to continue his recovery to be ready for the Browns’ passing attack. If the Browns come into that game with their receiving corps as good as advertised, the Cowboys will need a healthy Diggs to slow Cleveland down.

Without Diggs in the lineup, Dallas’ secondary features DaRon Bland and Nahshon Wright as the book ends with former Ohio State Buckeye Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson patrolling the middle of the field.

Bland’s historic 2023 will be hard to replicate, so it should be advantage Cleveland if Diggs is not back in the lineup come Week 1.