DaRon Bland injury update: Brian Schottenheimer addresses Cowboys CB's status for Week 4 vs. Packers
Dallas Cowboys (1-2) cornerback DaRon Bland has missed the last two games with a foot injury. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that Bland is “trending to play” in the Week 4 Sunday Night Football showdown against the Green Bay Packers (2-1), per Todd Archer of ESPN.
Bland did not practice last week, so it was no surprise he did not play in Sunday’s 31-14 Week 2 defeat to the Chicago Bears (1-2). Based on what Schottenheimer said, it appears Bland will be back on the practice field this week in preparation for the primetime game against Green Bay.
Bland was one of five Cowboys defenders who played in all 63 snaps in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) earlier this month. The 26-year-old recorded three tackles in the Cowboys’ 24-20 loss.
In 2024, Bland played in seven games and tallied 41 tackles and five PBUs. He was coming off a 2023 season where he compiled 69 tackles, 15 PBUs, nine interceptions, and an NFL record five picks turned into touchdowns. Ahead of the 2025 campaign, Bland signed a four-year, $92 million contract extension with the Cowboys, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in football.
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Cowboys defense has struggled without DaRon Bland
Without Bland, their top cover corner, the Cowboys have struggled on defense. Dallas allowed 37 points to the New York Giants (0-3) in Week 2, as Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns. Sunday, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 298 yards and four scores. The Cowboys have the 30th ranked defense in football through three games.
“[The Bears] were able to really effectively make big plays against our defense,” team owner Jerry Jones said after the loss to Chicago. “Had good, really it was two turnovers, all of that. I thought we’d come back out the second half and I thought we’d run the ball on ’em, instead they did a good job of making that 19 play [drive] and just after having the big play first half, came back out and just ground it out for a touchdown, it’s just disheartening.”