The Dallas Cowboys’ secondary took a hit when cornerback DaRon Bland sat out practice on Wednesday due to a foot injury, and he might miss multiple weeks of action, the team’s website and ESPN reported.
According to ESPN, Bland got hurt in practice on Monday. Both reports indicated that the latest ailment is unrelated to and less severe than the left foot fracture that Bland sustained last year, leading to surgery that cost him the majority of the season.
Bland, 26, started and recorded three tackles last week as Dallas opened with a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He is in the early days of a four-year, $92 million extension he landed last month.
Reddy Steward and Trikweze Bridges are considered the likeliest replacements for Bland in the Dallas secondary. Zion Childress could be elevated from practice squad to fill the roster vacancy if Bland lands on injured reserve.
Bland was a first-team All-Pro in 2023 when he led the NFL with nine interceptions and returned five of them for touchdowns. He made 69 tackles and had defended 15 passes in 17 games that year before he was limited to seven games and no interceptions last year.
In four seasons since the Cowboys made him a fifth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Fresno State, Bland has appeared in 42 games (31 starts). He has 14 interceptions, 167 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 27 defended passes.
