Cowboys expect healthy secondary against 49ers with return of Diggs, Brown, Wilson, Awuzie
The Dallas Cowboys will finally be at full strength again in the secondary when they play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in a must-win game to keep their playoff chances alive.
Cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown and Chido Awuzie and safety Donovan Wilson, who were all absent from last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals for a variety of reasons, returned to practice this week and are considered good to go, per coach Mike McCarthy.
“I would put all in the same category, I’m optimistic they’ll play on Sunday,” McCarthy said. “The work has been good so far, they participated in the mock game that we just had. So far everything looks good.”
Diggs has been out since breaking a bone in his foot against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 8. Brown has missed the past three games with a rib injury. Wilson has missed the past two games with a groin injury.
And Awuzie missed last week’s game against the Bengals on the COVID-19 list.
It would be huge for the Cowboys defense to finally play with all their starters on defense again. Practice-squad cornerback Rashard Robinson was elevated to start the past three games. Practice-squad cornerback was brought to start last week against the Bengals.
Diggs has been the team’s best defensive back all season, and the Cowboys are excited about him getting a chance to finish his rookie season strong on the field.
Diggs, a second-round pick out of Alabama, has 48 tackles, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble in nine games.
“I think he was having an excellent rookie season,” McCarthy said. “He has been extremely productive. He was clearly establishing himself as a highlighted defensive back in our secondary. He was having a tremendous season, especially as a rookie. The part I have been most impressed with was his ability to fight through injury. So very pleased with what he’s done in the early part of the year, and it would be great to have him back.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 4:52 PM.
