Dallas Cowboys Extend All-Pro Defender Ahead of 2025 Season
The Dallas Cowboys are only a few days from kicking off the 2025 season and are looking to figure things out after the Micah Parsons trade to the Green Bay Packers. However, they were able to bolster up the defense for the next handful of years with a massive extension to a former All-Pro player. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what it means for the Dallas Cowboys going forward.
Dallas Cowboys Extend DaRon Bland
The Dallas Cowboys are looking to keep the young defensive core together after the Micah Parsons trade and it was announced on Sunday that cornerback DaRon Bland has agreed to a four-year extension worth $92 million. Bland was only able to play in seven games last season, but was able to lead the National Football League in 2023 with nine interceptions and five returned for a touchdown en route to an All-Pro season.
The $23 million average annual value makes him the fifth-highest paid cornerback as below are the only cornerbacks averaging more money than the Dallas Cowboys cornerback:
- Sauce Gardner: $30.1 million AAV
- Derek Stingley Jr: $30.0 million AAV
- Jaycee Horn: $25.0 million AAV
- Patrick Surtain II: $24.0 million AAV
It was also reported that this contract extension was being discussed before the Parsons’ trade happened, meaning there was a possibility of both being under contract with the team. Dallas now has Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland in the secondary and should continue to make the Dallas Cowboys a respectable defensive team against the pass. The Cowboys struggled to limit passes last season as they were 27th with a 68.2 opposing completion percentage. However, having the top cornerbacks under contract for the next few years will certainly help first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer have another quality player under contract.
It will be interesting to see how DaRon Bland looks as he is expected to return back to his 2023 self with some improved play in coverage. The Cowboys are going to continue to have a lot of attention on them and their defensive output is going to be put under a microscope this season. It will be interesting to see if DaRon Bland can be a high-impact player throughout the 2025 season.
