Packers Release Trevon Diggs After Brief Two-Game Stint

The Green Bay Packers’ brief experiment with former All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs has come to an abrupt end. On January 20, 2026, the Packers announced Diggs’ release, less than three weeks after claiming him off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. For Diggs, 27, it marks a dramatic turn in a career that once seemed destined for stardom but has lately been defined by injuries, off-field complications, and shifting team loyalties.

Diggs’ arrival in Green Bay was, at first, a move born of necessity. The Packers had lost a pair of cornerbacks to injury in late December 2025 and needed depth as they prepared for the regular-season finale and a postseason run. Diggs, fresh off his release from Dallas on December 30, was claimed by Green Bay on December 31. At the time, it seemed like a low-risk, high-upside gamble: the Packers would owe him just over $500,000 for the remainder of the season, with no guaranteed money on the books beyond that. But the reality of Diggs’ tenure in Green Bay was far less impactful than anyone had hoped.

Over two games, Diggs played a total of 34 snaps—33 in the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, a game in which the Packers rested their starters, and just a single defensive snap in the NFC Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears. His statistical contribution? Three tackles and little else. He was slotted as a backup behind Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, both of whom remain under contract for another year and are expected to anchor the Packers’ secondary moving forward.

The financial calculus behind Diggs’ release was straightforward. Had the Packers retained him, they would have been on the hook for a non-guaranteed $14.5 million base salary in 2026, a figure that would have significantly hampered their salary cap flexibility. Instead, by cutting ties now, Green Bay saves over $15 million against the cap, with no dead money penalties—a crucial consideration for a team looking to retool after a disappointing playoff exit.

Diggs’ journey to this crossroads has been anything but linear. Drafted by Dallas, he burst onto the scene in 2021, leading the NFL with a staggering 11 interceptions and earning his first Pro Bowl nod. His early career trajectory was so promising that the Cowboys rewarded him with a five-year, $97 million contract extension in July 2023. But the honeymoon didn’t last. Diggs suffered a torn ACL during practice in September 2023, limiting him to just two games that season. He returned in 2024, playing 11 games before undergoing surgery on the same knee late in the year. The 2025 season was again marred by injuries—this time, concussion symptoms that landed him on injured reserve and limited him to just eight games, with no pass breakups or interceptions to his name.

Off-field issues also played a role in Diggs’ Dallas exit. According to The NFL Network’s Jane Slater, the final straw came after a Christmas Day game against the Washington Commanders, when Diggs, a D.C. native, requested to stay in the area to spend the holiday with his family rather than fly back to Dallas with the team. The Cowboys denied the request, but Diggs stayed anyway—a decision that, as Slater put it, "pushed an already tenuous situation but the end was inevitable and he ultimately made a choice and the team made theirs but it doesn’t mean he’s a liar."

There were also questions about Diggs’ commitment to team protocols. The Cowboys reportedly enforced a $500,000 base salary de-escalator for 2025 when Diggs failed to participate in 84% of the team’s voluntary offseason program, opting instead to rehab in South Florida. The club had expressed concerns about how he handled his recovery from both knee and concussion injuries, compounding frustrations with his availability and reliability.

Despite signing a deal worth $97 million, Diggs’ actual career earnings through the end of the 2025 season stand at $47.1 million—a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL, especially for players beset by injuries and organizational friction. And while Diggs’ talent is undeniable, as evidenced by his All-Pro selection and league-leading interception tally just a few years ago, recent seasons have seen him appear in just 22 games since 2022.

Green Bay’s acquisition of Diggs was not their only high-profile move involving former Cowboys stars in 2025. In a blockbuster trade, the Packers also landed perennial All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons from Dallas in exchange for two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The hope was that adding proven defensive talent could bolster a unit plagued by injuries and inconsistency. But while Parsons made an impact, Diggs’ contributions were minimal, and his departure now leaves the Packers with more questions than answers in their secondary.

For Diggs, the release marks the first time in his career that he will enter free agency, free to sign with any team—including, potentially, one of the four franchises still in the hunt for a Super Bowl berth this postseason. There is even a tantalizing possibility of a family reunion: his older brother, Stefon Diggs, is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, one of the teams still alive in the playoffs. Could the Diggs brothers finally share an NFL sideline?

Meanwhile, the Packers have begun their offseason roster shuffle in earnest. Alongside Diggs’ release, Green Bay announced the signings of quarterback Kyle McCord and defensive lineman Jaden Crumedy (sometimes listed as Jalen Crumedy), both former sixth-round picks. McCord, who spent his rookie year on the Eagles’ practice squad, may be in line to compete for a backup role, especially with current backup Malik Willis expected to depart in free agency. The addition of Crumedy bolsters a defensive front that will need reinforcements if the Packers hope to rebound in 2026.

As the dust settles, the Packers are left to ponder their next steps at cornerback—a position that remains one of their most pressing needs this offseason. With Nixon and Valentine under contract and Diggs now gone, Green Bay’s front office will have to weigh draft options, potential free agents, and perhaps even more trades as they look to solidify their defensive backfield.

For Trevon Diggs, the future is wide open. Despite the setbacks, his résumé—highlighted by that remarkable 2021 season—will surely attract interest across the league. The only question now is where the next chapter of his NFL journey will begin.