Cowboys' Jerry Jones Weighs in on Comparison of Downfalls of DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs

Jerry Jones offered up his two cents on if injury is behind the downfall on DaRon Bland with the Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate after Diggs intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

As we continue watch the downfall of DaRon Bland in real time this season, one has to wonder how the once-promising cornerback has gone from a superstar trajectory early in his career to complete rock bottom since 2024.

It's a downfall that needs to be studied, but it is not unique. We saw a similar situation play out with former Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs over the past few years.

The belief is that the knee injuries Diggs dealt with was the major cause of his decline that ultimately led to him getting cut in 2025. Now, many are wondering if Bland's foot issues are causing his decline.

When asked about that on Tuesday, owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan that he does not believe Bland is being sapped of his talent because of his injury woes over the past few years.

“In my mind, they’re different players, they’re different skill sets,” Jones said of the Diggs-Bland comparison. "Their make ups are different and I don’t have the same concern.”

If it isn't because of the foot injuries and surgeries, that makes Bland's downfall even more perplexing.

Regardless of the reason behind Bland's decline, the Cowboys need to be concerned about it because it is only making things more difficult for their struggling defense.

DaRon Bland's rough 2026 season

Football - NFL - Baltimore Ravens v Dallas Cowboys - Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - September 27, 2026 Dallas Cowboys' DaRon Bland runs out onto the pitch before the match REUTERS/Sergio Moraes REFILE - CORRECTING ID | REUTERS

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said "roster adjustments" are coming and one of those roster adjustments should come with Bland.

Through five contests, Bland is permitting a completion rate of 74.2% and a passer rating of 135.3. Bear in mind, a perfect quarterback passer rating is 158.3.

Also, Bland's Pro Football Focus coverage grade is 45.0, which is ranked 92nd among 104 qualified cornerbacks.

It's clear the best course of action is to at least limit Bland's snaps, but the Cowboys should bench him entirely. We have seen not a single indication the veteran cornerback is even close to rebounding from his struggles.

The easy answer is to deploy Cobie Durant opposite Joey Porter Jr. for as many snaps (and preferably all of them) as possible the moment he gets back from injury.

But even if Durant has to miss another game or more, there are other options, including Ameer Speed and Shavon Revel. Speed in particular has been playing pretty good football the last few weeks and should get a longer look.

Whatever the Cowboys do, they simply can't keep running Bland out there for as many snaps as they are on a weekly basis. That said, we're skeptical the Cowboys are actually going to make a change because of how much Bland is being paid.

Not to mention, Jones has said he isn't as concerned as fans are about Bland, although perhaps that changed after the latest debacle in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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