Trevon Diggs was the first domino to fall on the Cowboys’ defense. He won’t be the last

Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has been the poster child for a defense that’s already the worst in franchise history, in terms of total points allowed. It comes with the territory of captaining such a dismal defense this season.

Team owner Jerry Jones has been a defender of Eberflus, though his tone has changed in recent weeks: from affirmed support to a willingness to evaluate all factors for a defense that allows the most points in the NFL. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) on Tuesday, Jones wanted to make something abundantly clear when it came to the postseason evaluation of Eberflus.

“Let me say this one more time: It’s not all [Matt] Eberflus,” Jones said before a brief pause, “at all.

“That’s a team-wide breakdown for us not to play better defense. Not an Eberflus breakdown, per se.”

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The comment evoked a question about the future of the Cowboys’ defense after Sunday’s season finale against the New York Giants: If everything is wrong, how many changes will be needed to make it right? And that question was sparked before Tuesday’s shocking news.

The Cowboys surprisingly decided to waive former Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday. The surprise wasn’t because the Cowboys cut ties with Diggs — that’s been a progressing inevitability this season as their relationship turned tumultuous — but it was unexpected at this time, considering the Cowboys end their season on Sunday.

Diggs’ departure from Dallas could be a domino, marking the first to fall in a series of potential changes for the Cowboys’ defense. That could include a change in defensive coordinator. It’ll undoubtedly include change in personnel.

The Cowboys have positional needs this offseason at every level of their defense. They have 11 expected free agents on that side of the ball. That includes starting linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr., edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and safety Donovan Wilson, who’s in his seventh season with the team. The Cowboys have a couple other players they could move on from in cap-saving moves, including linebacker Logan Wilson, whom they acquired from Cincinnati for a seventh-round pick at this year’s trade deadline.

Change is not only sparked by necessity, like having roster spots to fill, but it is also sparked by aspiration. The Cowboys believe they have foundational pieces along their interior defensive line. For good reason. Dallas has invested heavily there, trading first-round picks for Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, and also extending Osa Odighizuwa with a contract extension this past offseason.

Beyond that, there is room for improvement.

The Cowboys still could use pass rush help to make up for the loss of Micah Parsons, whom they traded to Green Bay right before the start of this season. The Cowboys had 52 sacks last regular season. Through 16 games this season, they have 31.

Waiving Diggs cemented cornerback as one of their biggest needs, but it was evident before that move, too. The Cowboys used to be prolific when it came to interceptions. Diggs had 11 in one season before his extension, helping him ultimately land the new deal. The same happened with DaRon Bland, who set the NFL record for most interception returns for a touchdown in a season in 2023 (6). The Cowboys currently have six interceptions in total in 2025, marking the lowest they’ve ever had in a season in franchise history. For added perspective: Williams, a defensive tackle, had their last interception.

And then there’s the linebacking crew. Pro Football Focus grades are subjective and based on the opinion of their in-house analysts, so they should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, that salt is worth considering when Murray and rookie Shemar James — starting in place of the injured DeMarvion Overshown on Thursday against the Commanders — are both among the bottom-10 linebackers in the NFL with at least 200 snaps, according to PFF’s grades.

What changes the Cowboys make on defense remain to be seen. There’s no question there will be many, however.

“Make no mistake: everyone had their finger in what we’re doing out there defensively. Everybody,” Jones said. “It’s not just a one-man blame at all.”

Jones later said on The Fan that deciphering the share of that blame is what he and the rest of the Cowboys’ management has to figure out before they make changes.

“We’ll get to that pronto,” he said.

A few hours later on Tuesday he made his first change. It promises to not be his last.

Cowboys dismissing Trevon Diggs had become inevitable, but here’s why it’s happening now