The Dallas Cowboys have been bitten by the injury bug all year, from DaRon Bland to CeeDee Lamb to almost the entire offensive line. However, it appeared that things were looking up. 

Bland returned a few weeks ago, Lamb is expected to return this week against the Washington Commanders, and the offensive line has received reinforcements. But, in true Cowboys' fashion, a star player is expected to miss the Week 7 divisional showdown. 

It would appear that cornerback Trevon Diggs somehow suffered a concussion at home on Thursday night. This comes after Dallas had an injury report that day that showed everyone practicing in at least some capacity. 

We’re not going to speculate on the specifics of the incident in which the concussion occurred, but it truly is another odd chapter in what’s been a bizarre season for the Cowboys. The feeling in the fan base can be summed up in this one post on X:

As it’s been all year though, it’s next man up for Dallas. Due to the myriads of injuries the team has suffered, the team has actually seen who the next man up is in this situation already this season. 

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, it’s not someone they’re too eager to see a lot of, as Kaiir Elam will likely fill in during Diggs’ absence. According to PFF, that angst is well warranted. 

Aside from a 74.1 coverage grade in a reduced role during Week 5, Elam’s coverage marks have ranged from 63.6 in Week 1 to 37.7 in Week 3. His season long coverage grade of 55.5 is good for No. 67 out of 109 qualified players and even then, that seems like a generous standing. 

In fact, things have gotten so bad that he was benched almost completely in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, playing only eight snaps during a game that the Cowboys desperately needed any spark in the secondary. 

This injury makes getting pressure on Jayden Daniels all the more important. As we’ve covered, Daniels is the No. 4 ranked PFF quarterback with a clean pocket but plummets all the way to No. 32 when pressured. 

If the pass rush can step up and protect the secondary, Dallas might still have a fighting chance, especially with Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin ruled out for Sunday. But, if it’s the same milquetoast pass rush that struggled to be effective the first month of the season, then a long season for the defense will likely get even longer.