Cowboys Predicted to Replace Trevon Diggs With SEC ‘Shutdown Corner’
It’s been a long time since anyone could call Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs elite.
Through injuries and, now, a bizarre off field incident, Diggs has been one of the NFL’s most disappointing players since he signed one of the largest contracts for a cornerback in league history before the 2023 season.
Since then, Diggs’ 5-year, $97 million contract extension has become arguably the NFL’s worst non-quarterback contract and it’s left the Cowboys wondering how they might eventually replace him.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine and Daniel Harms thinks that solution might come in the 2026 NFL draft, where the Cowboys might be a perfect fit for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.
“Delane is a complete cornerback now playing in a defense where he can thrive,” Harms wrote. “The 6’0″, 190-pound defensive back has been a shutdown corner for the LSU Tigers, putting his top-tier skills on display in the national spotlight, which has improved his standing in Bleacher Report’s rankings significantly.”
Transfer Put Delane in National Spotlight
Delane, 6-foot and 191 pounds, played his first 3 seasons of college football at Virginia Tech, where he was a Freshman All-American in 2022 and named All-ACC in 2024 before he transferred to LSU.
Getting to play and thriving against the nation’s best competition thrust him onto draft boards. Through 7 games against SEC play, he has 33 tackles, 1 interception and 7 pass deflections. For his career, Delane has 7 interceptions, including 4 picks in 2024.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Delane listed as the No. 4 cornerback on his 2026 Big Board.
On October 28, Delane was announced as one of the semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate defensive back.
From NFL Draft Buzz: “After cutting his teeth at Virginia Tech for three seasons where he started 29 consecutive games, Mansoor Delane made the calculated decision to bet on himself and transfer to LSU for his final collegiate campaign. This wasn’t just another player looking for NIL money — this was a future pro meticulously plotting his path to Sundays.”
Complicated Conundrum for Cowboys Cornerbacks
The best thing for the Cowboys to do would be to try and find a trade partner for Diggs, which is a long shot and became even harder when he suffered a bizarre injury at home on October 16 — the Cowboys called it a concussion — and has missed the last 2 games.
On October 25, Diggs was placed on injured reserve, meaning he’ll be out until at east Week 13, when the Cowboys host the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day.
The Cowboys seem to have already been planning for the future beyond Diggs at cornerback.
They shelled out another massive contract at the position when they signed NFL All-Pro DaRon Bland to a 4-year, $90 million contract extension on August 31.
The Cowboys also took a modest swing in the 2025 NFL draft when they selected East Caroliina’s Shavon Revel in the third round (No. 76 overall) with the thought they may have gotten first round value at the spot.
Revel, 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, was an All-AAC pick for the Pirates in 2023 and projected as a first round pick before he tore his ACL in practice just 3 games into the season and saw his draft stock dip.
Yankees Star Pitcher Named as Potential Trade Chip This Offseason
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Yankees could trade a star starting pitcher.
The New York Yankees could be aggressive this offseason, making plenty of moves.
New York enters the offseason with needs at pitching and in their lineup, after being eliminated in the ALDS by the Toronto Blue Jays. Heading into the offseason, Yankees analyst Andres Chavez of EmpireSports named Luis Gil as a potential trade chip.
“The Yankees face a dilemma. Gil is still just 27, affordable, and under team control for several more seasons,” Chavez wrote. “That kind of profile is gold for an organization trying to balance competing windows. If Gil can rediscover his 2024 form, he could once again become a vital piece in the rotation. But the Yankees are also in win-now mode, and they have pressing needs—particularly in the outfield, infield and bullpen.
“The rotation also needs more certainty. With the front office exploring creative ways to retool, Gil’s name could easily surface in trade discussions. “It nearly happened last offseason when he was mentioned as a possible centerpiece in a potential deal for Astros star Kyle Tucker before the Yankees shifted gears and acquired Cody Bellinger instead.”
Chavez believes if the Yankees have the chance to make a blockbuster move, Gil’s name could be part of those talks, as New York would be turning the page on a former Rookie of the Year winner.
“That history makes it clear the organization values Gil but isn’t blind to his market appeal. A young, controllable starter with past success is always attractive to rival clubs,” Chavez added. “Whether Brian Cashman views him as part of the solution or a means to acquire one will shape the winter.”
Gil went 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 11 starts this season. He was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in the playoffs.
Analyst Urges Yankees to Move Gil to Bullpen
Although Chavez wants the Yankees to trade Gil, the team could make another surprising move.
MLB insider and analyst Chris Kirschner of The Athletic urged the Yankees to move Gil to the bullpen in 2026.
“Moving Gil to the bullpen would help simplify his mechanics in shorter outings, while also allowing him to rear back for the high velocity he has in his arm,” Kirschner wrote. “The Yankees have been searching for a multi-inning reliever since they traded Michael King two years ago as part of the deal to land Soto from the San Diego Padres. It’s worth experimenting to see if Gil can be that guy.”
If the Yankees were to move Gil to the bullpen, he could become a high-leverage reliever and help solidify the backend of the bullpen. But it would be a risky move, as if it doesn’t pan out, it’s unclear what his future would be.
Brian Cashman Reflects on 2025 Season
New York lost in the ALDS, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reflected on the year.
Cashman said he was proud of some things he and the team accomplished, but it wasn’t good enough as they failed to win the World Series.
“We’ve had success and failure,” Cashman said after the year. “Obviously failed at our ultimate goal, and had some success, obviously, along the way. We had a good team, but fell short of our ultimate goal. I’ll leave it for the masses to debate what ultimately came out of it. Proud of a lot of things we accomplished and players that I knew were fighting, they were talented, they were fighting, they were committed. But it wasn’t good enough.”
The Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009.
