Dallas owner Jerry Jones insists the Cowboys don’t need to sign another cornerback even though star DaRon Bland is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.
“Not at all, not in any way,” Jones said Saturday, via Nick Harris of the team website. “The good news is that we have some guys that have played well in camp. We won’t be looking at all.”
According to CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, this is the third consecutive season where a Cowboys starting CB has suffered a significant injury. In 2022, Jourdan Lewis suffered a Lisfranc foot injury, missing 11 games. Last season, former first-team All-Pro Trevon Diggs suffered a season-ending ACL tear, missing 15 games.
Despite the injuries, Dallas finished eighth in the league in passing yards allowed (200.9) in 2022 and fifth (187.4) in 2023. However, the Cowboys secondary may not be as deep this season.
This offseason, the Cowboys didn’t re-sign 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, who posted a solid 72.3 coverage grade in 17 games with Dallas last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Rookie Caelen Carson — a fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest — will probably step in for Bland. Per Harris, Lewis said Carson and Bland are similar, but the rookie may not have the same impact.
Bland broke out in his second season in 2023. He set an NFL record for pick-sixes (five in 17 games), earning a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nod. Carson, meanwhile, only tallied three interceptions in four seasons at Wake Forest.
DARON BLAND WITH A RECORD-SETTING FIFTH PICK-6
pic.twitter.com/VKp8MHEDz4— PFF (@PFF) November 24, 2023
The Cowboys recently acquired CB Andrew Booth Jr. in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, but he had zero interceptions in two seasons with the club.
Per ESPN’s Todd Archer, Jones said he expects Bland to only miss four or five games. Still, the Cowboys should add secondary depth and consider signing another veteran corner, perhaps former Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson.
