It might be fair to say that there is tension between the Dallas Cowboys and star cornerback Trevon Diggs to start training camp.

Diggs has a $500,000 de-escalator in is contract that says he must participate in 84.375 percent of the offseason program. The Cowboys have reportedly enforced the de-escalator even though they could have opted not to. This comes a few months after Jerry Jones aired Diggs out regarding his rehab process.

Diggs’ play will ultimately have to do the talking, but it might be a while before he’s back on the field after Dallas placed him on the physically unable to perform list to open camp.

Cowboys place star CB Trevon Diggs on PUP list to start training camp

In addition to Diggs, the Cowboys have also placed DeMarvion Overshown and CB Josh Butler on the PUP. Rookie cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. will open camp on the non-football injury list, per ESPN’s Todd Acrher.

Diggs underwent a chondral tissue graft procedure in which pieces of bone and cartilage were transplanted into the affected area. It was Diggs’ second major knee surgery in as many years after he suffered a torn ACL in practice before the Cowboys’ third game of the 2023 season.

The former procedure was performed in January, so Diggs was always expected to open camp on the PUP.

The good news? Per Todd Archer of ESPN, former Cowboys receiver Noah Brown underwent the same surgery and has continued playing in the NFL. Diggs has also been cataloging his rehab progress. He looks to be making serious strides in his recovery.

The former second-round pick has played in 13 of a possible 34 regular-season games since he signed a five-year, $97 million extension. It’s unfortunate for myriad reasons, but Diggs was playing the best football of his career before his ACL injury.

Whether Diggs is healthy enough to play in Week 1 remains to be seen, but the Cowboys badly need him back on the field.

DaRon Bland is in a contract year after a broken foot limited him to seven games last season and while rookie third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. managed to avoid the PUP, he is coming off a torn ACL suffered last September. He’ll potentially be limited to start camp.

Kaiir Elam is an early favorite to start with Bland, and it remains to be seen who will play the all-important nickel position.

Let’s hope Dallas gets No. 7 back on the field soon enough.