NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2025 The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to waive Trevon Diggs on Tuesday sent shockwaves through the league, but for general managers of playoff-bound teams, the shock quickly turned to opportunity.
With the waiver wire order set to process, the race to land the former All-Pro cornerback is effectively a high-stakes poker game. While Diggs has struggled with consistency and a bizarre “TV-mount” injury this season, his pedigree as an 11-interception ballhawk makes him a seductive addition for any defense gearing up for January football.
The financials make this an unusually low-risk move. Any team that claims Diggs inherits his contract, but with zero guaranteed money remaining in 2026, they can effectively treat him as a two-month “rental” for the playoffs and cut him cost-free in March.
Here is why the Houston Texans are the clear favorites to make the claim, along with other potential suitors.
The Texans have been one of the AFC’s juggernauts this season, sitting at 11-5 heading into their Week 18 clash with the Colts. However, their secondary has taken significant hits. With veteran Jimmie Ward (PUP) and key depth pieces like Jaylen Reed (IR) sidelined, Houston’s defensive backfield is thinning at the worst possible time.
The Fit: Pairing Diggs with Pro Bowler Derek Stingley Jr. would give Houston one of the most aggressive cornerback duos in the league. While rookie Kamari Lassiter has performed admirably as a starter, adding Diggs allows Head Coach DeMeco Ryans to mix coverages and creates elite depth a luxury that wins championships.
The Logic: With C.J. Stroud on his rookie contract, the Texans are in their “championship window.” They have the cap flexibility to absorb Diggs’ remaining weekly salary and the roster need to justify the move.
If Diggs slips past the Texans, expect the Detroit Lions to be in the mix. The Lions have aggressively managed their future cap space and have never shied away from acquiring bold personalities. Detroit’s secondary has improved, but adding a playmaker with Diggs’ ceiling could be the “all-in” move needed to navigate a loaded NFC playoff bracket.
The beauty of this waiver claim is the lack of long-term strings. As noted by Spotrac, Diggs is due a non-guaranteed $14.5 million base salary in 2026. If the experiment fails or if Diggs doesn’t recover his pre-injury form, his new team can release him in the offseason with practically no dead cap penalty.
