There’s little doubt that the Cowboys defense has been among the worst in the NFL through three weeks, having yielded 1,193 yards to opponents, 30th in the NFL, and having forced just one turnover, tied for 27th. They’ve given up 864 yards passing, which is last in the NFL.
While the defense as a whole has struggled, the cornerbacks have been particularly troublesome. Trevon Diggs has not looked health, Kaiir Elam‘s strong training camp has devolved into a meh regular season and rookie Shavon Revel is still recovering from a setback to his ACL rehab this offseason, though he could be on the field in Week 5.
And the Cowboys are in line, too, to get back DaRon Bland, who could anchor the group. Bland has been out for the past two weeks with a foot injury. But coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday, “Yeah, I think he’s doing good. I think he’s trending to playing.”
Jerry Jones: ‘Possibility’ DaRon Bland Plays
On Tuesday, team owner Jerry Jones reinforced that, saying, “I don’t want to get out over our skis here. It’s a good possibility we’ll have him,” in Week 4.
It’s important to note that the bulk of the damage done to the Cowboys’ defensive stats in the past two weeks has come with Bland in street clothes. In the first week, against the Eagles, the Cowboys allowed just 144 yards in the air. The team allowed 720 passing yards to the Giants and Bears without Bland on the field.
Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions in 2023 and set a record by returning five of those for touchdowns. Injuries are a big concern with him now, as he suffered a right foot injury that limited him to seven games last year, and is dealing with a re-injury to the same foot now.
GettyDallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
DaRon Bland Got $90 Million Contract
The Cowboys invested a lot in Bland a little more than three weeks ago, when he was granted a new contract worth four years and $90 million, with $49.3 million guaranteed (per Spotrac). The contract is off to a slow start, though, and significantly, the Cowboys do have an out after next season if Bland’s injuries continue to be an issue.
Bland, a fifth-round pick in 2022, has potential the team still thinks he has not tapped into.
“Well, I think, number one, I’m so happy for him,” Schottenheimer said after Bland signed. “The way he’s worked and shot onto the scene a couple years ago, and just kind of came in and made the immediate impact as a rookie playing nickel, and doing things like that, and then to see him a couple years after that, with all the pick-sixes — I’m so happy for him and his family.”
And, Schottenheimer added, “He has incredible ball skills, but I also thank God he’s got incredible instincts. His ability to study the game and his knowledge of the game for a young player, relatively young, so uncanny.
“His ability to read splits and anticipate routes, and things like that? That usually happens when you’re older. ”
Cowboys Hoping to Stay Just Healthy Enough
The hope for the Cowboys this season is that they can start to piece together enough of a defense, and can hold the fort down through the current spate of offensive injuries (CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Booker, Cooper Beebe), that they can be geared up for a second-half push.
The Cowboys are expecting to play new defensive end Jadeveon Clowney this weekend, and if Bland is on the field, too, the talent level immediately jumps. Getting Revel on the field, too, would give Dallas a defense that still has a slim margin of error, but is good enough to support a potent offense.
When healthy, at least.
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