Jerry Jones secured cornerback DaRon Bland for the Cowboys by signing a $92 million contract extension to guarantee his participation and top performance for the franchise. However, the Dallas owner is now concerned about Bland’s availability for Sunday and the rest of the season.
Bland missed 10 games in the 2024-25 season, and the last thing Jones wants is a repeat of that history. Yet, Micah Parsons’ replacement is not the only issue troubling the front office. Now, Bland’s status has become a major concern.
A promising career overshadowed by injury
According to Essentiallysports, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that during Monday’s practice, Bland injured his right foot, sidelining him for “a couple of weeks.” In addition, Nick Harris from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram observed Bland wearing a boot on Wednesday. These updates have surely set off alarms for Jerry Jones ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
The Dallas Cowboys could be without cornerback DaRon Bland for a couple of weeks because of a right foot injury suffered in Monday’s practice, according to multiple sources.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 10, 2025
Bland, who came from Fresno State, entered the Cowboys roster as a fifth-round pick in the 2022 Draft. In his rookie season, he grabbed five interceptions, proving he was ready for the NFL. In his second year, the 23-year-old cornerback earned First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection.
In 2023, Bland posted 69 tackles, 9 interceptions, and 5 pick-sixes, which placed him fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. This made him a cornerstone of Jones’ defense. However, his 2024 injury derailed his momentum and kept him from shining like in previous years.
Will he return at his best level?
That’s the question fans and NFL followers are asking. The upside for Dallas is that rookie Zion Childress, 23, could step in on Sunday against the Giants as Bland’s replacement, giving Jones a backup plan.
