Jerry Jones could not get it done with Micah Parsons, but he closed the deal with DaRon Bland by giving the cornerback a $92 million extension on Sunday. The Pro Bowler will now remain with the Dallas Cowboys' defense through the 2029 season.
Bland, 26, played just seven games in 2024 after beginning the season on injured reserve with a stress fracture in his foot. As a result, his numbers were down across the board, and he failed to record an interception for the first time in his brief career.
However, Bland was a force in 2023, when he established himself as one of the best defensive playmakers in the league. Following a promising rookie campaign, Bland recorded nine interceptions in year two and led the league with five defensive touchdowns. He added 15 pass breakups and three tackles for loss to become a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler.
The Cowboys felt Bland's impact in the 10 games he missed in 2024. After boasting an elite defense in 2023, Dallas took a significant step back last season. They allowed 218.1 passing yards per game, ranking 18th, and the sixth-highest completion percentage against opposing air attacks.
The Cowboys certainly want Bland to stick around, but the timing of the extension will likely spark controversy. Dallas fans are nearly at their wits' end with Jones after the Parsons fiasco, and handing out a lucrative deal just days after merely rubs salt into the wound.
Perhaps Jones is rectifying his mistakes, but the Parsons headline casts a vast shadow over what should be a celebratory moment for Bland. Nevertheless, Bland will remain in Dallas for at least four more seasons under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Cowboys' Daron Bland extension grade
Bland is certainly a player the Cowboys had to extend, but he enters the 2025 season with multiple asterisks. The injury is an obvious concern, particularly with Dallas looking to change his position.
Although Bland is arguably the team's best man-to-man cornerback, Dallas is shifting him into the slot. The Cowboys signed ex-Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam in free agency and subsequently listed Bland as a nickelback on their unofficial depth chart. The shift came after the team lost longtime nickelback Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.
The position change is likely a formality, as Bland has played all over the field when healthy. Regardless, it is yet another note to keep an eye on as he seeks a bounce-back year in 2025.
By giving him an extension in 2025, Dallas is committing to Bland a year early. That could be to avoid potential market inflation, but perhaps the disastrous Parsons situation is already giving Jerry Jones nightmares. Either way, the Cowboys are taking somewhat of a risk on a player who has just one elite season to his name.
Bland's $92 million deal includes $50 million guaranteed, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. His $23 million average annual salary also makes him the sixth-highest-paid cornerback in the league.
When he is fully healthy, Bland certainly plays like a top-10 cornerback. There is some risk in signing him this early due to his foot injury, but Bland has otherwise been a durable player throughout his career. For the most part, he also looked like his old self once he returned to the field in Week 12.
There seemed to be some urgency in extending players like Bland after how the Cowboys' 2025 offseason ended. That does not make it a bad deal, as Bland has earned every cent of his $92 million deal thus far.
Grade: A-
