Back in 2023, Dallas Cowboys star cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a torn ACL. Fast forward to now, and he’s rehabbing the same knee after undergoing chondral bone graft surgery on Jan. 23.

With that, Diggs has decided to remain in Miami to continue his rehab rather than join his teammates at Cowboys OTAs, which began last week.

While all signs point to Diggs hopefully returning to the facility soon—especially with mandatory minicamp beginning next week—his contract includes a clause that requires him to participate in at least 84.375% of the offseason program to avoid a $500,000 de-escalator.

He would also be subject to fines if he misses the three-day mandatory minicamp. However, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said he expects Diggs to be back in Dallas by next week—a great sign for the Cowboys, as Diggs is expected to play a major role in the team’s defensive scheme this season.

The Cowboys are known for being detailed and specific in how they structure player contracts. With certain de-escalators built into deals, the goal is to encourage players to participate in offseason programs as they prepare for the upcoming season.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Trevon Diggs may become the first player to have his base salary reduced if the Cowboys choose to enforce the clause in his contract.

That said, first-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer offered a positive update on Diggs and his ongoing rehab in Miami, suggesting that his return could be on the horizon.

“It’s going good,” Schottenheimer said. “I talked to Trevon last week. He’s down in Miami doing some training. No timeline for the return. He had to come back a couple of weeks ago to get checked out by the doc. All signs are positive.”