Cowboys' DaRon Bland Designated to Return from IR amid Foot Injury Rehab
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVOctober 9, 2024
The Dallas Cowboys designated cornerback DaRon Bland to return from injured reserve on Wednesday, giving him a 21-day window to either return to the active roster or be placed on season-ending IR.
The former is expected, perhaps as early as this week.
"I think DaRon Bland has a real chance [to play against the Detroit Lions on Sunday]," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters on Tuesday. "I don't know if he'll play the whole game but I think he's ready to start mixing it up. Short of a real setback, DaRon should be ready to dress and help us on the defensive side of the ball and the secondary."
It would be a huge addition for a Dallas defense that is giving up 24.2 points per game this season, tied for 23rd in the NFL, especially with a matchup against Detroit's explosive offense looming.
"Bland will be on a pitch count [in practice on Wednesday]," head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. "But he'll do mostly everything we do today. ... He's been working. It's not like he's all of sudden gonna start working. He's been working with [trainer Britt Brown] and doing all of the football steps, so we'll get him out there and get some work today to see where he is."
The 25-year-old corner had a superb sophomore season in 2023, registering 69 tackles, 15 passes defensed, an NFL-leading nine interceptions and an NFL-record five interceptions returned for touchdowns.
In Bland and Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys have a pair of turnover merchants at the cornerback position. Diggs has one interception this season and 19 in his career, though it should be noted that 11 of his picks came in 2021 alone.
The duo hasn't played much together in the past two seasons, as a torn ACL cost Diggs all but two games in 2023.
Bland's return comes with a setback elsewhere, however. In a corresponding roster move, defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, another blow at edge-rusher with DeMarcus Lawrence already on injured reserve due to a Lisfranc injury on his right foot.