Trevon Diggs set to return vs. Lions barring setback
The Dallas Cowboys are on a three-game winning streak after beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving. Their next game is against the Detroit Lions next Thursday, and according to team owner Jerry Jones, one of their veteran defensive players will be back on the field barring a setback. That guy is cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Diggs has played in six games this season, with his last coming against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6. However, it was announced just two days before the Cowboys faced the Washington Commanders in Week 7 that Diggs would miss the game due to suffering a concussion at his home. A week later, the former second-round pick was placed on injured reserve.
A healthy Diggs will undoubtedly be welcomed in the Cowboys’ secondary. Second-year cornerback Caelen Carson, although he missed the game versus the Chiefs with a hamstring issue, has played very solid football since coming back from his original alignment. Also, rookie Shavon Revel is showing signs of why he was looked at as a first-rounder before falling to the Cowboys in the third round due to a torn ACL in his final collegiate season.
Adding Diggs to this mix plus having DaRon Bland puts Dallas in a favorable spot at cornerback as they continue to fight for a playoff spot. Of course, Diggs will have to perform well for that to fully be true. Nonetheless, having him on the field would certainly be a positive for the Cowboys.
Kyle Shanahan explains why this 49ers player has disappeared on offense
The San Francisco 49ers should look into giving Kendrick Bourne more opportunities than he’s had in recent weeks.
Across the past four weeks, he’s managed just eight receptions. That may be because, slowly but surely, offensive weapons like George Kittle and Ricky Pearsall are regaining their sharpness after extended time off due to injuries.
Even so, Bourne played a key role early in the season while working alongside his former New England colleague, Mac Jones. Is this another big factor?
Kyle Shanahan revealed on Wednesday why Bourne has been getting so little attention over the past few weeks.
He emphasized that the reduced usage isn’t a reflection of Bourne’s performances but a byproduct of role assignments.
"No, it's just [WR] Ricky [Pearsall] was our starting Z and when he went down, we moved K.B. [Kendrick Bourne] to our starting Z," Shanahan explained to reporters.
"When you're a starter, usually you get the ball a lot more and you get to play a lot more. Ricky has pretty good stamina, so we don't rotate him as much. And D-Rob's [DeMarcus Robinson] done a good job owning our F role.
"So, it's been nothing against K.B., but I don't like that. I'd love to get him out more there more than we have the last two weeks."
Since Brock Purdy returned to his role as the starter, the Purdy–Bourne chemistry might not be as strong as the Jones–Bourne connection, simply because they haven’t had much time on the field together.
That might not explain all the reasons Bourne isn’t utilized as much, but the chemistry suggests that limited time together on the field could be a factor.
Purdy can always rely on Kittle and Christian McCaffrey to excel in the offense. Still, it’s worth noting that Bourne is having an even better season than initially expected upon his return to San Francisco.
Pearsall has yet to regain full match sharpness following the PCL injury he suffered in Week 4. There’s no cause for concern yet, but his production hasn’t been anywhere near as explosive as it was before.
The 49ers should use this time to get Bourne more involved. It says a lot that, even with very few receptions over the past two weeks, he still has more receiving yards than Pearsall.
