From being a fifth-round pick to making NFL history, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland deserves a ton of credit for the career he's made for himself.
However, the magic from his record-setting 2023 season has quickly faded. Despite signing a four-year, $90 million contract extension last August, Bland has become a liability this season on a Dallas defense that already has enough problems to deal with.
Bland hasn't had an interception since Week 7 of last season. And if he's not jumping routes and running it back for a touchdown -- something he's done six times in his career -- Bland is getting burned down the field for huge gains.
As a result of his fading production and hefty contract, the Cowboys face an interesting dilemma when it comes to how they handle Bland's involvement in the defense moving forward in order to help themselves both on the field and in the bank.
Cowboys Would Owe DaRon Bland $13 Million Due to Injury
As pointed out by ESPN's Bill Barnwell, the Cowboys would be in a frustrating financial hole if Bland were to suffer an injury this season.
Dallas would owe Bland $13 million in guaranteed money if he suffers "a significant injury." Should he stay healthy, the Cowboys would avoid having to pay up.
"The Cowboys don't want to be on the hook for that money, so it would hardly be a surprise if they took Bland out of the lineup altogether once (Cobie) Durant and (Joey) Porter Jr. are back on the field to avoid triggering those guarantees, which would happen if Bland suffers a significant injury," Barnwell wrote.
This situation makes it perfectly reasonable for the Cowboys to bench Bland moving forward. Until he proves he can produce at the level that his contract commands, Dallas faces a lose-lose situation: continue to suffer on defense while running the risk of owing Bland millions in injury guarantees.
If the Cowboys are going to be awful on defense, they might as well do it with cornerbacks that won't put them in a tough spot financially.
Cowboys Have More Reasonable Options to Work With
When everyone is healthy, Dallas has multiple options that certainly feel like an upgrade from the current version of Bland. The Cowboys signed former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant this season before making the blockbuster deal for former Pittsburgh Steelers star Joey Porter Jr. earlier this month.
The Cowboys are also still figuring out exactly what they have in Shavon Revel Jr., who impressed during training camp but has had his own share of struggles this season.
And on top of that, Dallas has versatile defensive back Caleb Downs, who brings a bit of everything as a slot corner or a safety.
It's hard to imagine Bland being outright ruled inactive for Week 6's matchup against the Green Bay Packers but the Cowboys could certainly benefit by slowing decreasing his snap count as the season goes on.
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