Trevon Diggs Reveals What He Wants to Prove as Seahawks Await Terrion Arnold

Trevon Diggs didn’t talk Wednesday like a former All-Pro looking for a soft landing.

He talked like a player who believes the Seattle Seahawks have given him something he hasn’t had in years: a healthy offseason and a real job to win.

“I’m looking to show that I’m still the best,” Diggs told reporters after joining Seattle. “I’m looking to show that I want to win and be a great teammate.”

That is a considerably more interesting proposition than the name recognition attached to Diggs’ signing.

Seattle doesn’t need the cornerback who intercepted 11 passes for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. It needs to find out whether enough of that player still exists to help solve one of the few unsettled spots on a championship defense.

And, suddenly, Diggs has a legitimate opening.

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Seahawks Still Haven’t Found a Simple Answer at Cornerback

The Seahawks entered the offseason needing to replace Riq Woolen, who left Seattle to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. Josh Jobe is established on the outside opposite Devon Witherspoon, but the picture behind Seattle’s top corners remains fluid.

Seattle signed former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene in March, and he has received significant work with the first and second units in camp. He also showed some promise in Seattle’s preseason opener. So Diggs’ arrival shouldn’t be read as proof the Seahawks have soured on Igbinoghene. It does suggest Mike Macdonald’s team isn’t prepared to declare that competition finished.

Other circumstances have only made another veteran worth a look.

Rookie third-round corner Julian Neal lost practice time to a leg injury before returning on a limited basis Aug. 10. Nick Emmanwori, whose versatility allows Seattle to get creative with its defensive backs, underwent ankle surgery this offseason. He passed his physical Aug. 11 but had not yet returned to practice.

Then there is Terrion Arnold. Seattle still plans to sign the former Detroit Lions first-round pick, but NFL Network reported that Arnold will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list once his deal becomes official, which would prevent him from practicing or playing while on the list.

That leaves snaps worth fighting for.

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Diggs Saw Familiar Faces — and a Chance

Seattle’s appeal wasn’t merely opportunity.

Diggs pointed to people already inside the building, including former Cowboys teammate DeMarcus Lawrence and former Alabama teammate Josh Jobe.

“I liked it here a lot,” Diggs said. “I got a lot of familiar faces. Coach Scott, AD. They know me. They know where my heart is. It felt right.”

Seattle secondary coach Karl Scott previously coached Diggs at Alabama, while defensive coordinator Aden Durde worked with him in Dallas.

Diggs said he also had been scheduled to visit Detroit and potentially other teams before Seattle won him over.

“I come here to compete,” Diggs said. “I want to compete and earn my keep. Do everything I can to earn a spot here and help this team win.”

That wording matters. Diggs’ résumé isn’t going to hand him anything.

He has played only 22 regular-season games over the past three seasons as knee problems repeatedly interrupted his career. After Dallas waived him late last season, Green Bay claimed him, but his Packers tenure amounted to 35 snaps across the regular-season finale and postseason.

For once, however, Diggs entered an offseason preparing to play football instead of trying to get his body back.

“It’s my first offseason I’ve been able to not rehab, but do offseason training,” he said. “It’s a blessing from God, honestly, to be able to come out here again.”

Diggs still believes his greatest attribute remains the one that once made quarterbacks regret throwing in his direction.

“I’ve got great ball skills,” he said. “I have a great knack for the ball, just understanding offenses and understanding routes and understanding what offenses want to do.”

Seattle doesn’t need to decide in August whether Diggs is still one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks.

It only needs to find out whether he can still be one of its best three.

For a player who has spent most of the past three years trying to get healthy, that’s a meaningful opportunity, and apparently exactly the one Diggs was looking for.

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