FRISCO, Texas — DaRon Bland could potentially be done for the season because of injury. The All-Pro cornerback was added to the Dallas Cowboys’ injury report on Wednesday, as the team began preparation to host the Los Angeles Chargers, with a foot issue that also sidelined him on Thursday.
As it stands, it doesn’t appear likely Bland will practice on Friday, or appear in the game on Sunday, as the aforementioned foot injury makes him a top candidate to land on season-ending injured reserve — a move that would end his 2025 campaign with three games remaining on the schedule.
The news comes just days ahead of the Cowboys returning cornerback Josh Butler to practice, starting his 21-day window in the process, and needing to make a decision on the status of another All-Pro cornerback, Trevon Diggs.
Diggs, whose practice window was opened on Nov. 30, must be activated to the 53-man roster no later than this weekend, or he will also revert to season-ending IR. The Cowboys could justifiably bring both Diggs and Butler up from IR, though they more time to make such a decision on the latter than the former.
For Bland, the injury becomes the latest chapter in his struggle to remain fully healthy and available, and continues the trend of Dallas being unable to consistently field both of their All-Pro cornerbacks at the same time.
Just ahead of the 2024 season, he suffered a fracture in his foot that cost him a total of 10 games. He’d return to finish the year and entered the 2025 season with hopes of regaining top form — one that earned him the title of Pick-Six King during his record-setting 2023 season, leading to a four-year, $92 million extension in the offseason that followed; and prior to the aforementioned fracture in his foot sidelining him.
Bland managed soreness in his foot that cost him a couple games to begin this season as well, however, making the latest battle with the injury that much more concerning. Should he require surgery to repair his left foot, it will mark the second time in as many seasons, and puts his availability for the offseason program and the start of training camp in question.
As it stands, no decision has been made but, with only three games left to play and Bland’s injury being grave enough to consider surgery at all, it’s likely he’s played his last down of 2025.
