For the second summer in a row, a Dallas Cowboys All-Pro cornerback suffers a costly injury. DaRon Bland “will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his foot and is out six to eight weeks,” according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
A turbulent and speculation-filled training camp period is now loaded with more obstacles for this franchise to clear. Dallas is desperate for a lucky break.
Bland exploded into stardom during the 2023-24 campaign in the absence of Trevon Diggs, who tore his ACL in practice last September, and etched his name into the NFL record books. He recorded nine interceptions, five of which were returned for touchdowns– the most ever in a single season. Bland finished fifth in the Defensive Player of the Year race, illustrating just how big of a blow this is for the Cowboys.
With CeeDee Lamb yet to arrive at camp and the running back room looking frighteningly thin and Ezekiel Elliott-dependent, there is already enough uncertainty on offense. The defense is supposed to be a welcome source of consistency and production for head coach Mike McCarthy. Losing Bland for an extended period of time adds a concerning amount of vulnerability to the secondary.
Cowboys have more questions to answer after Bland injury
Diggs is coming off a major injury and therefore may be a bit rusty in the beginning of the season. Leaning on Bland to carry the workload and take some of the pressure off his fellow corner is a luxury that Dallas will not have for a while. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer must get creative in order to mask any potential holes that now exist.
Recent postseason follies have left many fans in an eternal state of cynicism, but this year is accompanied by a different sense of dread. Considering how formidable the NFC North looks on paper, and the upgrades that teams within their own division made this past offseason, a playoff berth is not the guarantee it has been during the rest of the McCarthy Era. The Cowboys could have a daunting test ahead of them.
As noted earlier, Dallas overcame a significant loss before when Trevon Diggs went down, so there is cause for some hope. Rookie Caelen Carson is holding his own and will likely be asked to carry bigger responsibilities for the time being. How ever the team decides to fill the gap, it has to move quickly.
Hopefully, DaRon Bland has successful surgery and is able to breeze through his recovery process.
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