To incentivize players to show up for the offseason, most teams use workout bonuses. The Cowboys are in the small minority that uses a salary de-escalator.
It’s not about the player making extra money. It’s about losing the money he was due to make, if he doesn’t show up for the offseason program.
And so, in lieu of cornerback Trevon Diggs giving up the ability to make $500,000 more, the team was able to reduce his salary by $500,000 because he didn’t.
“No, I didn’t expect that,” Diggs told reporters on Tuesday when asked for his reaction to the move. “That kind of hurt my feelings. But it’s OK. Hopefully, I’ll make it back in incentives.”
Under his contract, Diggs gets $300,000 for five interceptions in 2025, and another $300,000 if he gets to seven.
Those incentives are in his contract, same as the de-escalators. And the Joneses accurately spelled that out on Monday. Diggs didn’t show up, and so his salary was reduced.
Given the human issues created by the activation of a salary de-escalator, it makes much more sense to rely on workout bonuses. Look at the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. For two straight offseasons, he has failed to earn a $750,000 workout bonus. The outcome would have had a much different vibe if the Ravens had affirmatively reduced his salary by that amount each year.
But, hey, these are the Cowboys. No one is going to ever accuse them of being smart when it comes to how to properly handle their workforce.
