Jerry Jones doubles down, fires shots at Trevon Diggs, Terence Steele Cowboys signings

In 2023, the Dallas Cowboys signed both Trevon Diggs and Terence Steele to massive five-year contracts. On Monday, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones hinted at regretting his decision to sign the pair two years ago.

“Frankly, should we have waited on Diggs and Steele?” Jones said. “I mean, you brought them up. I didn’t.”

Jones’ comments were seemingly an attempt to justify the team’s hesitation to sign star EDGE Micah Parsons. In particular, Jones expressed the danger of signing players to large contracts early in their careers, only for their performances to begin to worsen.

On July 25, 2023, the Cowboys signed cornerback Trevon Diggs to a five–year, $97.00 million contract extension. Diggs was the NFL’s interception leader and an All-Pro in 2021. Additionally, Diggs was a Pro Bowler in the 2022 campaign.

However, after signing his lucrative contract in the summer of 2023, Diggs tore his ACL just two weeks into the regular season. Diggs returned for the 2024 campaign, but was ultimately sidelined again due to a groin injury.

On Dec. 14, 2024, the Cowboys announced that Diggs would be undergoing a season-ending surgery on the same leg that he’d torn his ACL in. Diggs opted to rehab away from the team most of this offseason. In turn, the Cowboys exercised their contractual right to dock $500,000 of Diggs’ base salary.

Diggs is currently on the Cowboys’ PUP (physically unable to perform) list. While Steele hasn’t had any injury issues since signing his five-year, $86.8 million contract extension in September 2023, he certainly hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Steele particularly struggled in pass protection last season. The Cowboys took a chance on Steele in 2023 while he was still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to achieve the same success on the field since.

Although Jerry Jones may not have signed Parsons due to fear of a similar decline occurring, the former Penn State standout has shown no signs of slowing down. Last season, Parsons tallied 12 sacks and two forced fumbles in just 11 games. On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided further details on the contract issues between Parsons and the Cowboys.

“The Cowboys are slow-playing it again. Surprise, surprise. They have not been in any rush,” Schefter said. “Now, Micah is going to go to camp. Micah is going to be there. Micah is going to do what Micah does. But I can tell you that, going into camp, the two sides were not very close to a deal. I don’t think the Dallas Cowboys have been overly-aggressive about getting a deal done. There have not been very many conversations.

“… I do think that, when they get a deal done with him, it’s going to make him the richest defensive player in NFL history. It’ll be the richest non-quarterback deal in NFL history. But again, not close right now.”