Daron Bland
Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, has stated time and over again during the 2024 NFL summer and training camp that he is “all in,” despite a wealth of evidence to the contrary. However, not all of his players are, for a variety of reasons.
The most recent setback occurred on Saturday when it was announced that All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland will require surgery to fix a stress fracture in his foot and would be out for up to two months.
DaRon Bland Sets NFL Record with 9 INTs
He replaced fellow All-Pro Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in September of last year and went on to become a formidable force in 2023. After taking over, Bland set a league record with nine interceptions, five of which he returned for touchdowns, leading the NFL.
The absence of Bland adds to Dallas’ mounting list of issues since the team is the defending NFC East champion. Early in training camp, pass rusher Sam Williams had an ACL tear that required surgery. Since Stephon Gilmore, the former Defensive Player of the Year, started every game at cornerback the previous season and recently inked a contract with the Minnesota Vikings, the secondary will be particularly thin with Bland out. Following Saturday’s preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Mike McCarthy hinted that rookie Caelen Carson would be considered to replace Bland.
CeeDee Lamb Seeks $35M/Year Deal
Naturally, All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has not yet reported to the Cowboys in his ongoing efforts to negotiate a new deal that would put him in line with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, whose recent extension pays an average of $35 million a year, at the top of the positional pay scale.
Jerry Jones was uncharacteristically quiet during free agency, despite key losses. Now, his focus is on re-signing CeeDee Lamb. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons await new deals.
On September 8, the Cowboys travel to Cleveland to kick off the regular season.
Cowboys’ secondary takes a hit! How will Bland’s injury impact the team? Drop your Comment Below
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