As if the Dallas Cowboys' defense hadn't suffered enough heading into the 2025 season, the franchise lost DaRon Bland to a foot injury this week. This was after Bland was handed a $92 million extension that appeared to be a direct result of the Micah Parsons trade, and now it'll be at least a few weeks until he can prove he's worth his new price tag.
Bland is an incredibly important piece for the Cowboys, and the injury appeared to be pushing the corner out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, Dallas News insider Calvin Watkins reported that Bland is "in and out of a protective boot" on his left foot and is considered "week-to-week," meaning the standout has avoided the injured reserve and is in a far better situation than first expected.
Cowboys Fans Given Encouraging Update on Injured CB DaRon Bland
While Week 1's defensive start was rough, there was reason for excitement with second-half adjustments shutting down a loaded Philadelphia Eagles offense. There was a level of physicality and intensity that encouraged a frustrated fan base still mourning the loss of Parsons. With this in mind, Bland being able to make a quick return is incredibly important to continue this defensive momentum.
Dallas lacks proven depth at cornerback, needing its starting disruptors to stay intact to have a hope of remaining relevant in the playoff hunt. While Bland is expected to return sooner than first suspected, there's a good chance that Reddy Steward will temporarily be the Cowboys' starting nickel corner. The second-year defender tallied a 72.7 coverage grade in 18 snaps with the Chicago Bears last season, per Pro Football Focus.
It will be interesting to see how Steward fares, having made his team debut last week against the Eagles as a member of the special teams unit. The Cowboys need Steward to simply be capable enough to buy a week or two of time for Bland to make a full recovery and not be forced to push his way back into the starting lineup.
For the Cowboys, they have two very winnable games upcoming: hosting the New York Giants before traveling to take on Caleb Williams and the Bears. Neither of these games offers incredibly difficult matchups if Steward isn't going to be asked to face the primary receiver, hopefully, buying Bland enough time to make a full recovery soon.