The bye week couldn't come soon enough for the Dallas Cowboys. After they face off against the Detroit Lions in an NFC showdown on Sunday, the Cowboys go on their much-needed bye week as they deal with serious injuries to key starters.
Earlier in the week, the Cowboys already ruled out Micah Parsons and Eric Kendricks for Week 6. This came on the heels of rookie defender Marshawn Kneeland joining DeMarcus Lawrence and Sam Williams on the Injured Reserve list.
One silver lining was the expectation that star cornerback DaRon Bland could make his return against the Lions after starting to practice this week. However, Cowboys insider Todd Archer reported on Sunday that Bland will not be activated off IR, postponing his season debut.
Cowboys News: CB DaRon Bland Not Active in Week 6 vs. Lions
Daron Bland’s debut will have to wait. He is not being added to the 53-man roster this week. With the bye next week, likely to be active for the San Francisco game. The Cowboys have elevated CB Amani Oruwariye and LB Darius Harris from the practice squad.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) October 12, 2024
Considering that the Cowboys are heading to a bye week, it makes sense to not rush Bland. This would give him an extra two weeks to recover from his foot injury and be back for Week 8 against the 49ers.
Rookie Caelen Carson should get the nod to start opposite Trevon Diggs once again. Archer reported that the team is elevating Amani Oruwariye from the practice squad to provide more depth on the secondary.
The Cowboys currently rank 22nd in the league in points allowed. They need Bland's ball-hawking ability to help them get Mike Zimmer's unit back on track. The All-Pro cornerback led the league in interceptions last year with nine.