Jerry Jones Isn't as Concerned About DaRon Bland as Cowboys Need To Be

Jerry Jones said he isn't as concerned about DaRon Bland as Dallas Cowboys fans are, but he needs to be.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) extends for a pass thrown by quarterback Marcus Mariota (not pictured) against Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Joey Porter Jr. trade was huge for the Dallas Cowboys, but that does not mean they have solved their problems at cornerback.

On the other side, the Cowboys have a struggling DaRon Bland, which is, of course, nothing new because Bland has not been adequate for two-plus seasons now.

When asked about Bland on Wednesday on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry Jones said that while he understands why fans are concerned about Bland, the Cowboys owner admitted he isn't as concerned as they are.

“I understand how our fans could be concerned. But I’m not as concerned as you might think," Jones said of Bland.

Jones also said that Bland "has a chance to get better" with the addition of Joey Porter Jr., which is certainly true because teams are going to be inclined to pick on Bland more instead of going after Dallas' No. 1 cornerback.

That did not yield good results in Week 4. Bland gave up 104 yards and a touchdown on seven targets thrown his way, with the Texans completing five of those passes and Bland finishing with a 71.4% completion rate and a 153.3 passer rating allowed, according to Pro Football Focus, which is just .5 shy of a perfect mark.

We hoped getting over injury issues would help Bland play better, but that has not been the case through four games.

Bland is giving up a completion rate of 65% and a passer rating of 129.2 when targeted overall, and he has allowed 160 yards and three touchdowns.

What's the solution?

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Cobie Durant (2) warms up prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's pretty clear the Cowboys aren't ready to give up on Bland yet, but they can't allow this to go on for much longer.

The best solution is to deploy Cobie Durant there when he returns from injury. Durant was the Cowboys' best cornerback through a game-plus, and he was that throughout the offseason, also.

That won't be an immediate solution, though, as Durant is still hurt and isn't likely to play this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's also worth noting that Dallas might need Durant to play in the slot with Caleb Downs having to play more snaps at safety because of injuries to Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke.

Thompson and Locke are both on injured reserve. Locke has to miss at least two more games, with the Week 5 game included in that count, and Thompson will be out at least three more.

In the meantime, the Cowboys should be giving Ameer Speed and Shavon Revel more snaps instead of having Bland play all of them. If nothing else, at least make him earn it.

Whatever the Cowboys decide to do, they can't keep doing the same thing with Bland on the boundary if his play does not improve. This defense simply can't afford it.

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