ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys will likely be with out All-Professional cornerback DaRon Bland for six to eight weeks due to a stress fracture in his left foot.
If he follows the timeline, Bland might return in mid-October, which could price him the primary 5 or 6 video games. The Cowboys have their bye week Oct. 20.
Bland will bear surgical procedure on his fifth metatarsal Monday, based on a supply, after reporting soreness following the Cowboys’ last observe whereas in Oxnard, California. A yr in the past, Bland led the NFL with 9 interceptions and set a league report by turning 5 of them into pick-sixes en path to incomes Professional Bowl and All-Professional honors.
“I am glad it is not for an prolonged time period and so we lose him 4 or 5 ballgames,” proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones mentioned after the Cowboys ended the preseason with a 26-19 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium. “It is critical, however the excellent news is we’ll have him for the meat of the deal. That is the excellent news.”
The Cowboys won’t search for cornerback assist in the course of the last cut-down course of to the 53-man roster, Jones mentioned.
“The excellent news is we have some guys which have actually proven effectively in camp,” he mentioned. “We can’t be all.”
The Cowboys will welcome again Professional Bowl and All-Professional cornerback Trevon Diggs to the lineup for the Sept. 8 opener towards the Cleveland Browns after he missed the ultimate 15 video games final season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Diggs returned to full workforce drills for the final two weeks of coaching camp.
With out Bland, the Cowboys have Diggs in addition to Jourdan Lewis, who had a powerful camp, working the slot. Whereas Lewis has expertise enjoying outdoors, the Cowboys might look to fifth-round decide Caelen Carson or Andrew Sales space, whom they acquired from the Minnesota Vikings throughout coaching camp.
Carson received off to a quick begin in camp however missed a few days of labor after getting a knowledge tooth eliminated.
“He was one of many rookies who most likely made the quickest first impression so far as playmaking,” coach Mike McCarthy mentioned.
McCarthy added: “You can see straight away within the 7-on-7 and so forth his talent set and ball expertise, the issues we actually spotlight, the way in which we prefer to play. That carried over in coaching camp once we put the pads on. He is performed a pleasant job.”
However shedding Bland is a blow to new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. With Bland and Diggs, the Cowboys believed they’d the most effective cornerback pairings within the NFL. Each gamers have a knack for locating the ball. Bland had 14 interceptions in his first two seasons, whereas Diggs has 18 in his four-year profession, together with a league-leading 11 in 2021.
Lewis mentioned the veterans will assist Carson prepare for a bigger position.
“Simply staying ready, simply watching your movies, understanding what they love to do and the way they use guys in several conditions and understanding it is soccer on the finish of the day,” Lewis mentioned. “Do not consider it as an excessive amount of of an enormous second. You see these guys making performs on Sundays, however on the finish of the day it is soccer. Simply go on the market and see what their scheme is and the way they like to make use of the man and go on the market and be bodily like he is been doing.”
Bland is the second main loss to the protection throughout coaching camp. Move rusher Sam Williams was misplaced for the season earlier than the workforce practiced in pads due to a torn ACL in his left knee.
“He was undoubtedly primed for one more actually good yr, so it undoubtedly feels dangerous that it has been derailed like this,” Lewis mentioned of Bland. “He had a extremely good camp, nice camp. … It is undoubtedly feels horrible that he is lacking some weeks, however on the finish of the day we nonetheless get him again.”