DALLAS — The Cowboys have lost Trevon Diggs for the season.

The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback suffered an ACL tear during a 1-on-1 period at Thursday’s practice, a person familiar with the situation said. He was seen afterward on crutches. The team is proceeding with the expectation Diggs is out for the year, a brutal blow to a defense that dominated its first two opponents.

Dallas has depth at all defensive positions. Still, it obviously hoped not to tap into it so soon.

DaRon Bland likely will start at outside cornerback for Diggs, beginning Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He’d work at outside cornerback opposite Stephon Gilmore. Jourdan Lewis also could see more work in the slot, but considering Lewis played only 10 snaps in his season debut following a major October foot injury, he may not see a full snap load yet.

Safety Israel Mukuamu has nickel experience and could work into the fold.

Diggs’ injury occurred after the window during which reporters can view practice. The Cowboys were working on their outdoor, natural grass field at Ford Center at The Star.

“I’m not going to speak on anything,” quarterback Dak Prescott said to reporters afterward. “It’s way too early. I guess some of you saw him leaving the field. Prayers. Hoping for the best, simple as that.”

Diggs was off to an exceptional start to his season. On eight passes thrown in his direction, he allowed two receptions for 26 yards with an interception, according to Pro Football Focus. He also broke up two passes, one of which led Bland to intercept a Week 1 pass against the New York Giants and return it for a touchdown.

Quarterbacks have a league-low 1.0 rating when throwing against Diggs. The passer rating for a spiked ball is 39.6.

Dallas recorded 10 sacks and allowed 10 points its first two games. The unit is a key reason not only for the current 2-0 record but the Cowboys becoming the seventh team since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to outscore their first two opponents by a combined 60 points or more. Their margin over the New York Giants and Jets was 70-10.

Since being drafted in the 2020 second round, Diggs has 18 career interceptions and tied the single-season franchise record with 11 picks in 2021.

The Cowboys signed him to a five-year, $97 million contract extension in July. Diggs responded by playing the best and most physical football of his career until Thursday’s brutal development.

BENGALS: Quarterback Joe Burrow said he’s day to day and doesn’t know yet if a lingering calf injury will keep him out of Monday’s night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Burrow said he “tweaked” the calf injury late in Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. He wore a compression sleeve on his entire right leg Thursday but said the calf “is not as sore.” He didn’t throw during the early part of practice open to the media.

“I’m preparing like I’m going to go out and play a Monday night football game,” he said. “Whether that happens, I don’t know.”

Burrow strained his right calf muscle on the second day of on-field workouts in training camp on July 27. That sidelined him for more than a month, depriving him of valuable preseason reps with his offense.

PANTHERS: Carolina veteran quarterback Andy Dalton admits he’s having a little more fun this week knowing he’s likely to start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Panthers said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that rookie QB Bryce Young “isn’t expected to play” after missing his second straight day of practice Thursday. Team spokesperson Bruce Speight confirmed to The Associated Press that Young is not expected to play.

“For me, obviously – absolutely,” Dalton said with a smile. “It’s always nice because I have had a certain way of operating in my career, and when you go from starting to being the backup that is one of the things that you miss. … When you get a chance to take ownership of what you’re doing, and to know how you want it to look and how you want it to feel and see it executed, that is what makes football fun.”

BILLS: Linebacker A.J. Klein is back in Buffalo after being signed to the Bills’ practice squad on Thursday to replace Christian Kirksey, who informed the team he intends to retire.

Klein rejoins the Bills after being cut by the team last month. He has 10 seasons of NFL experience and is familiar with the Bills’ defense after playing for the team in 2020 and ’21, and part of last season.

The 31-year-old Kirksey was selected in the third round of the 2014 draft by Cleveland, and spent his first six seasons playing for the Browns. He played for Green Bay in 2020, and spent the previous two seasons with Houston, where he started 29 games.