9:50pm: While Bland’s absence might be felt at first of the 12 months, Jones said the Cowboys won’t explore a cornerback addition to fill the emptiness created by his injury (h/t Nick Harris of the team’s website). Jones further indicated (via Machota) Dallas isn’t prone to be energetic at any positions during roster cutdowns with the team having already added along the defensive position by the use of the Jordan Phillips trade acquisition and the Linval Joseph signing.
1:58pm: The Cowboys defense was hit with yet one more significant blow before the season has even begun. As Dallas has been scrambling to make up for the lack of Sam Williams to a season-ending ACL tear, they may now be forced to exchange one other starter, as well. First reported by Jon Machota of The Athletic, All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland is set to undergo foot surgery that may keep him out for six to eight weeks.
In accordance with Machota, “Bland experienced foot discomfort on Wednesday of last week during training camp.” He underwent imaging that “revealed a stress fracture in his foot,” requiring the obligatory surgery. While experts are predicting the above six- to eight-week absence, team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones was quoted predicting an absence of 4 to 5 weeks during an interview on 105.3 The FAN. Regardless, the team might be without an All-Pro defender to begin the season.
Bland burst onto the scene two years ago, despite being a fifth-round pick of Fresno State. Originally a dual-sport athlete at Sacramento State where he competed in track and field for the Hornets during each indoor and outdoor seasons, primarily as an extended jumper, Bland’s collegiate profession did nothing to suggest the impact he would have within the NFL. With only three interceptions in three years at Sacramento State and only two picks in his lone season with the Bulldogs, Bland matched his collegiate interception-total in his rookie season alone.
As a rookie in Dallas, Bland began eight of the ultimate 10 games and recorded the primary five picks of his profession. The Cowboys didn’t start him in Week 1 of last 12 months, but when he returned an interception for the primary pick-six of his profession, it didn’t take them long to treatment their error. Three weeks later, in his second start of the season, Bland picked off two more passes returning one other for a touchdown. Bland would find yourself leading the league with nine interceptions and setting an NFL record with five pick-sixes on the 12 months.
The Cowboys were set to enter the season with Bland across from Trevon Diggs as their starting cornerbacks with Jourdan Lewis returning as a near-permanent fixture within the slot. After Diggs went on injured reserve near the beginning of the season last 12 months, the Cowboys saw Bland and veteran addition Stephon Gilmore make up 85 percent of the team’s defensive snaps at outside cornerback, in order that they don’t have anyone with extensive experience able to fill in.
Nahshon Wright had reportedly been mixing in with the first-team defense a bit on the perimeter this offseason, however the team shipped him off to Minnesota, receiving Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth in return. A former second-round pick of Clemson, Booth has struggled to live as much as his draft stock up to now in his NFL profession, only making two starts with the Vikings in as a few years. Second-year defensive back Eric Scott Jr., who did not make an appearance in his rookie season, and fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson out of Wake Forest will each join Booth in attempting to fill in early for Bland.
The Cowboys will likely utilize considered one of the NFL’s newer roster rules and place Bland on IR. Though, normally, players placed on IR before the beginning of the regular season are forced to miss the whole 12 months, a brand new rule allows teams to position two players on the injured list before roster cutdowns who’re exempt from that requirement, allowing them to be activated and return throughout the same season. Bland is prone to receive that distinction for Dallas.
