On December 15, 2024, at 11:32 AM, the Dallas Cowboys prepared for their Week 15 matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, once again dealing with significant injuries to key players on both offense and defense.
Cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and Caelen Carson are officially out for the season following season-ending surgeries, a team source confirmed.
Diggs, who has been dealing with a knee injury since the bye week, decided late in the week to forgo traveling to Carolina and instead opted for surgery to focus on preparing for 2025.
He missed two games and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game before the decision was finalized Saturday.
Carson, meanwhile, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery before the team’s Week 14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
After suffering the injury in Week 3, he missed four games but tried to play through it before being placed on injured reserve in Week 13.
Despite undergoing ACL surgery early in the 2023 season, Diggs’ current knee injury is unrelated to last year’s recovery, according to a team source.
In 11 games this season, Diggs recorded 42 total tackles and two interceptions.
Carson, drafted in the fifth round out of Wake Forest in April, registered 27 tackles and four pass breakups in six games. The rookie started five games in place of DaRon Bland.
The Cowboys now have six defenders out for the season, with Diggs and Carson joining linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee), defensive end Sam Williams (knee), cornerback Josh Butler (knee), and safety Markquese Bell (shoulder).
The healthy cornerbacks remaining include DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Amani Oruwariye, Israel Mukuamu, and Kemon Hall.
The Cowboys’ practice squad features Andrew Booth Jr., Troy Pride, and Dee Delaney. Oruwariye is expected to replace Diggs as a starter against Carolina.