Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed that All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland, who had 5 pick 6s in 2023, will miss the first couple of months due to a foot injury.
DaRon Bland sidelined for 6-8 weeks with injury (Image via ESPN)
The Dallas Cowboys are back to square one with their cornerback situation. Trevon Diggs returned from injury, and DaRon Bland looked set to pick up where he left off last season until the bad news from owner Jerry Jones soured their fans’ mood. Bland reportedly will be out for two months.
Before the Cowboys’ third and final pre-season game against the Los Angeles Chargers at home, owner Jerry Jones broke the news that All-Pro defensive back Daron Bland suffered a foot injury during their latest day of training at Oxnard and will undergo surgery.
Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins updated on how long Bland will be out. It will likely be 6-8 weeks.
Bland was progressing nicely for the Cowboys. 2023 became his breakout year for the boys after recording a league-high 9 interceptions and historic 5 pick-6s in the regular season. He also made 69 tackles and deflected 15 passes. Pro Football Focus graded Bland 90.4; however, he was snubbed from the top 10 CB’s list by ESPN.
Finding a suitable replacement for Bland will be a massive headache for Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy. If the injury had happened a week ago, then perhaps the Cowboys could have just re-signed veteran Stephon Gilmore for one more year, but he is now with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Cowboys do have depth in the backfield with players like Jourdan Lewis, who is into his eighth campaign in the NFL. Rookie Caelen Carson made a big impression in the off-season and at the camp. Eric Scott Jr. and newly acquired veteran Andrew Booth Jr. will also fight for the final 53-man roster, which will be announced on Tuesday. They also have Kemon Hall, Josh Butler, and Josh DeBerry from the practice squad ready to step up.
The Cowboys could also dive into the free agent market as there are several players up for the taking or could even trade a player for a short-term deal as cover for Bland. Players like Xavien Howard, Patrick Peterson, and Adoree Jackson remain without a team at the moment.
The best fit for the Cowboys would be Xavien Howard, who became a salary cap casualty for the Miami Dolphins because they signed big deals with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. 31-year-old Howard is a four-time Pro Bowler, and in his best season (2020), he had 10 INTs with 20 pass deflections and 51 tackles. Last season he had 45 tackles, 1 INT, and 12 PDs.
