COWBOYS STAR CB DIGGS TEARS AN ACL
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs tore the ACL in his left knee in practice Thursday, a major setback for a defense off to a great start in 2023.
The team said an MRI confirmed the ACL tear and that while there was no timetable for a return, the 2021 All-Pro was expected to miss the rest of the season.
Diggs was seen leaving the team’s headquarters on crutches. He had his first interception of the season in last week’s 30-10 victory over the Jets.
Diggs is tied for the NFL lead with 18 interceptions since entering the league in 2020.
It’s quite a blow for a defense that has had 10 sacks and seven takeaways without a turnover by the Dallas offense. The plus-seven turnover margin led the NFL through two games.
Dallas (2-0), which visits Arizona (0-2) on Sunday, is just the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to score at least 70 points and allow 10 or fewer in the first two games. The Cowboys beat both New York teams by a combined 70-10.
“Saw what I guess a couple of you saw out there on the field,” quarterback Dak Prescott said after practice, not wanting to speculate on the severity of the injury. “Prayers, hoping for the best, simple as that.”
Diggs signed a $97 million, fiveyear contract extension at the start of training camp. The Cowboys drafted the former Alabama player in the second round in 2020.
Diggs, who tied a franchise record with 11 interceptions in 2021, was off to a strong start in his first season with 2019 AP Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore starting on the opposite side.
Through two games, Diggs had an NFL-best 1.0 passer rating against when targeted.
Dalton to start for Young
Panthers veteran quarterback Andy Dalton admits he’s having a little more fun this week knowing he’s likely to start Sunday against the Seahawks.
The Panthers said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that rookie QB Bryce Young “isn’t expected to play ” after missing his second straight day of practice Thursday.
Team spokesperson Bruce Speight confirmed to The Associated Press that Young is not expected to play.
That means Jake Luton is expected to be promoted from the practice squad and be Carolina’s No. 2 QB this week.
Dalton made it clear his goal is not to steal Young’s starting job, but instead to help the Panthers win.
Burrow: It’s too early
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he’s day to day and doesn’t know yet if a lingering calf injury will keep him out of Monday’s night’s game against the Rams.
Burrow said he “tweaked” the calf injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens.
He wore a compression sleeve on his entire right leg Thursday but said the calf “is not as sore.” He did not participate in practice.
“I’m preparing like I’m going to go out and play a Monday night football game,” he said. “Whether that happens, I don’t know.
“Time heals,” he said, “so we’ll see.”
Burrow strained his right calf muscle on the second day of on-field workouts in training camp on July 27. That sidelined him for more than a month, depriving him of valuable preseason reps with his offense.
Burrow said he aggravated the injury on the Bengals’ final drive of Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Ravens. He found Tee Higgins in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown, then limped to the sideline favoring his right leg.