Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam cools down after the end of the official practice day at training camp. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cowboys believe secondary injury concerns could be blessing in disguise

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 8:28 AM ET

The biggest question mark for the Dallas Cowboys on the defensive side of the ball entering training camp is the defensive backfield. While there are some concerns with the interior line and the team's inability to stop the run, the defensive backfield has even more uncertainty due to injuries.

Several players are unavailable to start camp, with All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs and Josh Butler, who is returning from a season-ending knee injury, starting on the PUP list.

Shavon Revel, the team's third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, will start camp on the non-football injury list (NFI), while 2024 fifth-round pick Caelen Carson will see the field but is returning from a season-ending shoulder injury.

While injuries have plagued the unit, head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes it could be a blessing in disguise, because the team will get a better look at some of the younger players and those brought in during the offseason, like former first-round pick Kaiir Elam, who the team acquired from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and 2026 seventh-round pick.

"I see it as a positive. I can see where there are issues, but it gives you a chance to look at the younger players," Schottenheimer said during the team's State of the Union press conference to kick off training camp. "Our objective to come out of these first two weeks, before we get into the join practice with the Rams, is to see all these compete. We wanna see who is developing and who took the things we taught in the spring and will carry over.

"You can look at it like, 'Oh, it's a negative for continuity.' We'll get that figured out. We need to figure out and make the right evaluation of these guys so that when it comes time to trim the roster, that we're keeping the guys that fit our football team -- not just as a player, but as a person."

It is going to be an interesting situation to watch, especially after Jerry Jones took some shots at Diggs for his approach to rehab in the offseason. DaRon Bland has also been working out in the slot, while Elam is an intriguing player.

Diggs is not expected to return until later in the season, Revel could be good to go in a matter of weeks. There are a lot of moving pieces in the secondary, but Schottenheimer is ready to watch his available players compete for their jobs.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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